It’s important to note that both headaches and migraines can be incredibly debilitating, so if your pain is getting in the way of your ability to work, you’re well within your rights to go home sick.

But if your pain is less acute, there are ways you can deal with your headache to a) relieve the pain and b) reduce your risk of developing another one in the future.

1. Take a screen break

Stepping away from your laptop and giving your eyes and head time to rest can make a real difference to how much pain you’re experiencing. “A break from your screen in a quieter, darker and cooler environment is a great idea,” Dr Raheem says.

Introducing regular breaks into your schedule can also reduce your risk of developing headaches. A good rule to keep in mind is the 20-20-20 rule – after every 20 minutes of screentime, you should look at something around 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

Taking adequate breaks to get up, move around and look at other things can also give your eyes and body a break from sitting in front of a laptop.

2. Mix up your working day and set-up

If you find yourself getting headaches in the office on a regular basis, try to think of some changes you can make to mitigate the risk of developing a headache.

The first step is setting up your workstation to reduce your chance of headache triggers – for example, adjusting the brightness of your screen, sitting in a chair that’s at the right height, ensuring you’re an arm’s length from the screen and the text isn’t too small. Use a second screen if needed.

“Why do I keep getting headaches when I work in the office?” A neurologist explains