The Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Chronic Headaches

At MiRx™ Protocol we want to help treat your headaches so you can regain your quality of life. We offer a simple solution, but determining the underlying cause(s) of headaches is often complicated.

Can sleep disorders cause headaches? Yes they can, but not only that. Even the medications you are taking for your headaches can cause sleep disorders, which in turn can cause more headaches. You see how it can become a vicious cycle. Let’s discuss how headaches can be related to chronic sleep disorders in these two ways.

Can sleep disorders cause headaches?

WebMD notes two studies related to sleep and headaches, both published in the scholarly journal Headache (1). Each helps us understand how sleep disorders could be a cause of your headaches:

1. Not feeling refreshed – 147 women with chronic migraines were asked a plethora of questions about their sleep habits. The results showed that over 80% of them said they felt tired upon waking. This study, then, shows a high correlation between unfulfilling sleep and headaches.
2. Learning how to sleep – 43 women suffering from migraines were split into two groups. One was given behavioral directions on how to approach sleep, and the other was given placebo directions. The group given the behavioral directions experienced a significant drop in headache severity and frequency, suggesting that many people with headaches are not approaching sleep correctly.

Can headache medications cause sleep disorders?

As stated above, your headache medication may actually be making it difficult for you to get proper sleep. The lack of sleep, in turn, causes further headaches. Be aware that what you are taking for your headaches – or other health conditions – may be leading your body back into the pain cycle (2). Per the Mayo Clinic, here are three considerations:

1. Prescription medications that can be a contributing cause to headaches include the following: a. corticosteroids; b. allergy drugs; c. stimulants, such as ADHD medications; d. blood pressure drugs; e. antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds.
2. Over-the-counter (aka OTC) drugs such as diet pills, decongestants, and pain drugs can contain stimulants, in some cases even caffeine (obviously not a great ingredient to be taking within close range of bedtime).
3. Antihistamines can knock you out. However, they can also act as a diuretic. If you “have to go” when you’re dreaming, you will not get great sleep; and of course, your sleep will be interrupted.

Would you like to get headache relief without contributing to sleep disorders, whether they’re ones you have now or could develop through many medications? At MiRx™, we’ve developed a treatment for headaches that actually works, for the relief you need to go about your day with a smile. Check out our testimonials to see how we impact people’s lives. Here is a list of providers throughout the country as well.

Reference:

1.  http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/features/do-your-sleep-habits-trigger-migraines
2.  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/insomnia/DS00187/DSECTION=causes