Headache caused during sleep is a rare phenomenon. However, the rate continues to rise, with those experiencing it describing it as a particularly bad experience.
What are sleep headaches?
Sleep headaches are a rare type of headache that occurs during sleep and wakes the person up, which is why they have earned the nickname "alarm clock headaches." The pain can keep people awake for at least 15 minutes, if not longer. People who experience sleep headaches usually have them several times a week.
What makes a sleep headache different from other types of headaches?
Sleep headaches only occur when a person is asleep. This timing distinguishes them from other types of headaches that can disrupt sleep but can occur at any time of the day.
What are the symptoms of a sleep headache?
- Dull or throbbing pain affecting one or both sides of the head
- Waking up in the middle of the night from a headache, several times a month
- Nausea
- Sensitivity to light or sounds
- Runny eyes or nose
What causes a sleep headache?
Sleep headaches are considered a primary headache disorder, meaning they are not caused by a known underlying condition. Beyond that, researchers don't know for sure what causes sleep headaches.
Most commonly, they often occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, so it's possible that an area of the brain involved in pain processing is activated, leading to a sleep-related headache.
Also, in some cases, they are linked to melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy, and its production levels rise and fall throughout the day according to your sleep-wake cycle. Because sleep headaches occur at the same time each night, some researchers believe there may be a disturbance in the underlying factors that regulate melatonin production.
If, however, the causes of headaches during sleep are not 100% known, what has been established by experts is that a bad mattress or a mattress that does not provide the appropriate sensation for the user's rest needs, combined with a bad pillow they can "trigger" the hidden tendency for sleep headache or worsen the symptoms once they appear.
Who usually gets sleep headaches and why?
Older people and women are more likely to get sleep headaches, although children can get them too. Women are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to have sleep-related headaches than men.
Over 90% of people experience their first sleep headache after the age of 59, with an average age of onset of 62 years.
What are the solutions for sleep headaches?
Although harmonious sleeping habits reject the consumption of caffeine, the case of sleep headache is a special category and is an exception. Caffeine is considered the most effective treatment for sleep-related headaches, and it has been shown to cause few side effects, especially when compared to other drugs or preparations for sleep-related headaches.
At the same time, however, it is particularly useful to check both the mattress and the pillow you are using, examining not only whether they meet your needs in terms of anatomy and feel, but also in terms of maintaining temperature and their hypoallergenic characteristics, factors that which often cause headaches in people with allergies or other sensitivities.
When should I talk to my doctor?
Sleep headaches directly affect the quality of sleep. So the quality of life. If you regularly wake up with a headache, then contact your doctor immediately and follow his instructions.
*With data from Sleepfoundation and Clinical Pathologist, Heather Wright .
