Your body can do so many things that you are absolutely unaware of. Sometimes you just feel pain and there’s almost always a better way to get rid of the pain, but you decide to reach for a pill.

This is happening only because you are not aware of the power you have over your body. You always think that there is an outside solution to your problems, when in reality, the solution lies within.

Check out these hacks and improve your life while taking control over your body.

12. Treat a headache by massaging your big toe.

Why it works: There are head reflex areas on the sides, on the top, and on the base of your big toe. By massaging these areas, you can relieve tension in your head and neck.

11. Calm your nerves by blowing on your thumb.

Why it works: When you want to exhale through a blocked airway, the intrapleural pressure increases and that stimulates the vagus nerve, which is the nerve controlling the heart rate. The thumbs have their own pulse, so when you blow on them, it affects your overall pulse too.

10. Boost your mood by holding a pencil between your teeth.

Why it works: A simple pencil in your mouth will help you – and this has been proved – to activate your smile muscles, which can deceive your brain and raise your spirits.

9. Scratch your ear to soothe a tickling throat.

Why it works: When you stimulate the nerves in your ear, they’re creating a reflex in your throat that can cause a muscle spasm. This muscle spasm can relieve the tickle in your throat.

8. Turn off your gag reflex by squeezing your left thumb.

Why it works: Applying pressure to a specific point on your palm is part of the ancient yoga and meditation movements with relaxation and targetting various organs in your body. This can significantly reduce your gag reflex. And one of the easiest ways to do this is to clench your left hand into a fist with your thumb inside it.

7. Stop a nosebleed by pressing on your upper gums.

Why it works: Putting pressure on your gums can block the artery that supplies blood to your nose.

6. Swallow stubborn pills by tilting your head forward.

Why it works: Unlike the popular belief that you need to tilt your head backwards, it’s quite the opposite. This way, the pills can only go to your stomach.

5. “Wake up” your arm by moving your head around.

Why it works: A tingly arm sometimes happens due to the nerves in your neck being compressed. Hence, if you loosen your neck muscles, this will help you release the extra pressure in your arm.

3. Deal with fear of needles by coughing.

Why it works: Coughing in this scenario, works as a brain distraction and it momentarily increases your blood pressure and helps reduce your perception of pain.

2. Make toothache go away by putting an ice cube on the back of your hand between your index finger and your thumb.

Why it works: This particular section of your hand is greatly full of nerve pathways, which are the ones that carry the pain signals to your brain. By applying cold, you’re blocking these signals.

1. Get rid of hiccups by raising your arms above your head and stretching.

Why it works: Stretching can reboot the diaphragm and stop it from contracting involuntarily.