Morning Headaches when you wake up is a tragic beginning to the day. Maybe your thoughts are leading you to believe that your day will be rough or already ruined just because of the morning headache. However, there are millions who deal with them on a daily basis.
What Causes Early Morning Headache?
Are there any potential causes of headaches early in the morning? Here are a few of the reasons to consider:
Oversleeping or under sleeping
Morning headaches are frequently associated with sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea. However, you can also get morning headaches when you sleeping too much.
Blood sugar drops overnight
When blood sugar falls headaches, dizziness, and nausea are common. The glucose level in the blood often drops within hours after eating the last meal before going to bed.
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is another sleeping disorder that leads to morning headaches. It is a condition in which you stop breathing suddenly, several times during your sleep at night. Sleep apnea results in disturbed sleep, becoming a source of your headache in the morning.
Usually, morning headaches due to sleep apnea do not last for more than 30 minutes. You can treat sleep apnea with certain medications and lifestyle changes.
Depression or anxiety.
Chronic morning headaches are a result of anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression can lead to insomnia, poor or disturbed sleep, resulting in morning headaches. Managing your stress is the first step towards reducing anxiety or depression and thus reducing your incidence of morning headaches.
Alcohol affects several neurotransmitters in the brain that cause headaches, which is a leading cause of headaches and migraines for vulnerable people. Even if you drink wine with dinner, you will probably have morning headaches.
Bruxism or Teeth Grinding
The joints in front of your ear connecting your lower jaw and skull can become sore when you grind your teeth while sleeping without realizing it, causing headaches. Besides headaches, you might also feel tightness or pain in your jaw. Stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and coffee consumption all contribute to the problem.
You may have migraines
Migraines affect different people differently. Some migraines strike at night as well, but the majority usually occur in the morning. It is also believed that migraines follow a cycle. Therefore, if you are constantly suffering from headaches, you may have a migraine.
Unsuitable pillow or posture
You feel too much pressure on your neck and shoulders when your pillow does not support your head properly. Poor sleep patterns and headaches can result from sleeping in the wrong position. So what is the best sleeping position?
Symptoms of Morning Headaches
Morning headaches can be associated with pain and no other symptom. Pain can be:
- Moderate pain in your neck.
- Pain on both sides or at the bottom of your head.
- Muscle tension in your head, face, and neck.
- Pain in your cheeks or jawbone owing to sinus headache (headache caused due to inflammation in your sinuses).
- Nausea or vomiting may occur.
When Can Morning Headaches Become a Problem
See your doctor if:
Your headache occurs more than two times a week.
You have recurring headaches and you are over 50 years of age.
You have had a recent head injury and are having headaches.
You have continuous vomiting with a headache.
You have a headache with confusion or loss of consciousness.
Your headaches is causing extreme weakness.
You Can Prevent Morning Headaches by Following These Tips;
1.Aim to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
2.It is best to exercise several hours before bedtime, as exercise before bed tends to keep you awake.
3.A cup of coffee or a glass of wine just before bed can keep you up late or disrupt your sleep. If you are about to go to sleep, don’t drink caffeine or alcohol.
4.Modify your sleep environment. The bed should be simply a place for you to relax and love.
5.Relax by taking a soak, reading a book, or meditating at the end of the day when your body indicates that it is time to sleep.
You can get a morning headache for a number of reasons. However, if you treat the underlying cause and practice good sleep hygiene, you may be able to reduce or eliminate these reasons. Mintal tracker will help you test your sleep quality and monitor the impact of headaches on you in real time. Consult a doctor if you suffer frequent or severe morning headaches.