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Brain freeze happens when something cold hits the roof of your mouth too fast. Your body thinks your brain is freezing (it’s not), so it floods the area with warm blood. That’s the headache you’re feeling. Annoying, but fixable.
1. Place your tongue against the roof of your mouth.
This is the fastest method. Press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth and hold it there for 10-15 seconds. It warms up your palate directly and tells your brain to calm down. Works almost instantly.
2. Press your thumb on the roof of your mouth.
If your tongue isn’t cutting it, use your thumb. Press it firmly against the roof of your mouth to warm the area. Weird-looking if you’re in public, but effective.
3. Use your breath.
Cup your hands over your mouth and nose, then breathe out slowly. Breathe the warm air back in through your mouth. The warmth helps counteract the cold that triggered the freeze. Takes about 30 seconds.
4. Drink tea
Room temperature or warm water works too. Just something that’s not cold. It balances out the temperature in your mouth and stops the panic response. Keep a glass of water nearby when you’re eating ice cream.
5. Take smaller bites of the cold item.
Prevention beats cure. Don’t shovel ice cream directly down your throat. Let it warm up slightly in your mouth before swallowing. Slower, but you won’t be clutching your forehead every two minutes.
6. Spit the cold food from your mouth.
Nuclear option. If you’ve got a mouthful of slushie and you can feel the freeze coming, just spit it out. Not graceful, but it stops the headache before it starts.