Headaches tend to spike this time of year. Holiday parties, travel fatigue, cranked-up indoor heating, and disrupted routines all increase the risk of dehydration — often without the usual warning signs like thirst or noticeable sweating. When a headache hits, the standard advice is to drink more water. But if you're chugging plain water to fix a dehydration-related headache, you might unintentionally be making it worse. - Overhydration can cause headaches too: Drinking plain water beyond thirst dilutes blood sodium levels, which can trigger or worsen headaches. - Most people eating whole foods are already low on sodium: Hitting 4–6 grams of sodium daily takes effort without processed foods. Holiday stress and disrupted routines can make this even more challenging. - Headaches have many causes: If your urine is darker and you're thirsty, hydration is likely a contributing issue — and electrolytes can help. The majority of people that we see are dehydrated despite drinking plenty of water. The reason is that the body does not absorb all that water due to a lack of electrolytes. So if you have a headache, the key is not to drink more water but to drink more electrolytes such as magnesium and potassium.