We all have our days where things don’t go so well and it seems like the world is out to get us. It’s around this time of year that you may start to display symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, but you may experience occasional headaches all year round. There are a number of common causes of that noggin pain and many of these causes are highly preventable. You just have to recognize them and proactively approach them.

Listed below are five such causes of headaches and migraines. Naturally, this list is far from exhaustive, but it may point you in the direction of more headache-free days.

1. Too Much Stress

Stress isn’t all bad. A little bit of stress can improve performance and improve productivity, but too much stress can literally wreak havoc on your body and your mind. Stress manifests itself differently in different people. Some develop a cold, others lose sleep, and many of us develop headaches. This is particularly true if you suffer from burnout. Sometimes, the best thing you can do to overcome a headache is to simply step away and take it easy. Rest and relaxation goes a long way.

2. Too Much Caffeine / Not Enough Caffeine

It’s ironic really. People who are addicted to coffee sometimes suffer from headaches because their systems are being overloaded with caffeine. As you may already know, caffeine is just like any other drug and when used in excess, problems will surely arise. At the same time, quitting cold turkey isn’t that bright of an idea either. If you’re used to having a coffee in the morning and you happen to skip it, you may develop a headache as a result of caffeine withdrawal. That’s right. Both too much and too little caffeine can be the cause of your brain pain.

3. Dehydration

This is perhaps one of the most overlooked causes of headaches. There’s a reason why health experts say that you should be drinking seven glasses of water each and every day. Water can help your digestive system and it is needed for just about all of your bodily processes. There’s a good chance that your headache is being caused by dehydration. Drinking coffee or Coca-Cola is not a good substitute for fresh water, because those drinks are actually dehydrating. The same can be said about alcohol: that’s partly why you may develop a hangover after a night at the pub. Drink water and lots of it.

4. Eye Strain and Radiation

Your eyes may be the windows to the soul, but they can also be the cause of your headache as well. Some light is good for you, but lighting that is either too dim or too bright is not. As many of us work in front of computers all day, those LCD monitors can also be a great source of eye strain, especially because of the added effect of radiation. Rest your eyes and look at something green. I’ve been told that this helps for some reason. If you’re reading a book in bed, make sure that you have ample lighting. Reading in the dark not only harms your vision; it can also cause massive headaches.

5. Sleep Deprivation

Are you getting enough sleep? If there were 25 hours in a day, I’d probably spend that extra hour sleeping. Our society is constantly pushing us to be more productive and ambitious, and the amount of sleep that we get each night suffers. You should be getting at least eight hours of bed rest each and every night. “Catching up” on weekends does not count and it does not work, contrary to popular belief. It’s not surprising that you may develop headaches as a result of sleep deprivation, because you’re not giving your body (and your head is part of your body) enough time to recuperate, regenerate, and rest.