Headaches Caused by Sleep Problems
- Victoria Wermers, RN,MSN,FNP, PMHNP
- Oct 1, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 8
SLEEP PROBLEMS AS A CAUSE OF HEADACHES
Not enough sleep or too much sleep can cause headaches, including migraines. Sleep-related headaches typically last from one hour to an entire day. One of the rarer headaches, a hypnic headache, is characterized by a headache that awakens a person in the middle of the night. Usually, the latter occurs in older people and may be related to sleep apnea.
A headache caused by lack of sleep (insomnia) is typically characterized by aching, heaviness, forehead pressure, and pressure on the sides of the head.
Too much sleep (hypersomnia) can also cause headaches. Some causes of hypersomnia include:
Depression can also cause oversleeping, which, in turn, can cause a headache.
Medications (for example, antihistamines, some antidepressants, anxiety
and blood pressure medications, cancer medications, and others).
Medical Conditions
You can approach headaches caused by insomnia in three ways:
Treat the potential cause of insomnia (mentioned above). This is ideal and may get rid of the headaches for good.
Treat the pain of headaches themselves, ignoring the cause
Directly treat the insomnia - ignoring the cause.
Let's look at these approaches.
Treating the Potential Cause of Insomnia
Treating the underlying problem may make headaches disappear. The subject of sleep and treatment is so extensive that an entire section on this site is dedicated to the topic. If you believe your headaches may be caused by sleep problems, please refer to the section on sleep disorders.
Again, treating the underlying cause is the most important treatment for headaches; however, this is not always easy to do. In the meantime, if you need other support and treatment, consider the following treatments and remedies for headaches.
Some of those causes are as follows and can be explored in their respective links:
A few of the underlying causes of sleep problems that lead to include the following:
Snoring (with or without sleep apnea)
Medications are common causes of insomnia (medications for ADHD, some psychiatric medications, steroids, decongestants, and others.
Medical conditions like restless legs syndrome, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, asthma, acute illness (especially with sinus congestion or cough), reflux, chronic pain, and so on.
General Approaches to Headaches
These approaches to headaches are typically the first-line measures people take to try to ward them off. They apply to many types of mild to moderate headaches.
General Recommendations
If you do not know the cause of your headaches, try to identify it by using a headache diary to find a connection to your headache - what you were doing when it came on, what you ate, and so on.
Alter your surroundings or attempt to avoid the cause.
Rest in a dark, quiet, and comfortable place when you feel a headache coming on.
Use relaxation and deep breathing techniques.
Pressure Points: One approach sometimes used to relieve these headaches is that of using a pressure point. Pressure point LI-4 is also called Hegu (her-goo). It is found on the back of your hand. It is between the base of your thumb and index (pointer) finger. Doing acupressure on this point can help with pain and headaches. Other pressure points can be found here.
Cold compresses (to head or neck) - 15-20 minutes at a time.
Hydrate well
Over-the-Counter Medications for Headaches
NSAIDS: Ibuprofen (common: Advil, Motrin), naproxen sodium (common: Aleve, Naprosyn), and the combination of caffeine, acetaminophen, and Aspirin (common: Excedrin Migraine, Goody’s Powder). These are probably the best choices for headaches. Try to take NSAIDS with a little bit of food (as simple as a cracker) to avoid stomach irritation. If your headache is minor, take the lowest dose. If it is moderate, take the higher recommended dose.
Acetaminophen (common: Tylenol).
Take as directed over-the-counter if there are no contraindications.
Try to treat early on in the headache: It is easier to stop pain if you attack it early rather than waiting until it is full-blown.
Considered Natural Remedies for Headaches
Prescription medications
Do you tackle the sleep problem or do you tackle the headache? What a healthcare provider prescribes typically depends on the underlying cause.
If you're struggling with sleep issues that may be contributing to headaches and are unable to resolve the problem using self-help measures, consider seeking guidance from a healthcare provider.
