"Americans spend more than $4 billion each year on over-the-counter pain relief for headaches," says Rita Mullin at healthdiscovery.com. "Migraine sufferers alone lose more than 157 million workdays to headache and related symptoms each year and other garden-variety headaches are responsible for another 2.8 million lost workdays. Time lost from work and resulting medical expenses due to headaches are estimated to cost American industry $50 billion each year."

Not to mention the pain and suffering.

Yet often simple lifestyle and habit changes can make a difference in the frequency and severity of headaches. Here are several things you can try with very little effort or expense:

Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation is common, affecting perhaps a quarter of the adult population. The ability to survive on little sleep seems to be a skill that elevates us to superhuman status; yet the fact remains that humans need a certain amount of sleep to function properly. How much is enough may vary somewhat from individual to individual, but most experts agree that adults need at least seven hours per night. Sleep less, and you will suffer.

Control your stress factors. This is a big enough topic for an entire book, but just being aware of how you react to stressors in your life may help you avoid headaches. Even the facial expressions you habitually wear can make a difference; for example, frowning and clenching your teeth can definitely cause headaches. When you're under stress, be aware of your breathing. Are you hyperventilating or holding your breath? Practice breathing slowly and deeply.

Experiment with your diet. Some foods can trigger migraines. Migraine sufferers might benefit from avoiding aged cheeses, such as Brie, Gruyere, and cheddar; alcohol; and black tea. So can many food additives, such as MSG. Coffee--because it contains caffeine, a vasoconstrictor--can relieve a headache; conversely, suddenly stopping or cutting back on caffeine consumption can cause a headache. And don't skip meals--that can trigger a headache.

Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, and remember that caffeine is a diuretic; the more caffeinated beverages you drink, the more water you will need to replace the fluids. Also note that drinking alcohol is doubly harmful, for besides being a direct cause of headaches, it is also a diuretic. So are sugary drinks. Stick with water as much as possible.

Keep your feet warm. This is obviously more of an issue in the winter. Keeping your feet well covered with socks and closed shoes will draw blood away from your head to your feet, thus relieving the blood pressure in your head. At night, cover your feet with plenty of layers at the foot of your bed; you might consider wearing socks to bed.

Use heat and cold to your advantage. When the headaches starts, applying an ice pack to your head (on the top of your head or your forehead) can provide quick relief. If that sounds too uncomfortable, soaking your feet in hot water can have the same effect; some people have had success with soaking their feet alternately in hot and cold water. Try applying a heating pad to your neck. Finally, try taking a hot bath.

Check your lighting. This too is more of an issue in winter, with its short days and indirect light. It's worse for people who work in windowless buildings, unwittingly subjecting themselves to concentrated doses of artificial light. If this is your situation, spend as much time as you can outdoors, especially in the middle of the day, or at least indoors near a window. Finally, if you have any fluorescent lights in your home or workplace, do your best to replace them all with full-spectrum lights, available in a wide variety of fixture styles.

Try massage and/or biofeedback. A massage can relieve stress by relaxing the muscles in your neck and other parts of your body. Biofeedback also can be effective in preventing and relieving headaches by changing and controlling the body's vital functions such as temperature, muscle tension, and blood flow. In thermal biofeedback, commonly used for migraines, relaxation techniques are used to increase blood flow to the extremities.

In some cases, prescription medications and, as a last resort, surgery may provide the only relief. Only your healthcare provider can say for sure. Yet these eight fairly simple and "do-able" tips are definitely worth a try. They may save you your share of that $54 billion spent on pain relievers and lost productivity each year.