The throbbing ache of a migraine headache is usually accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea and sensitivity to light, noise, and smells. When in the throes of an attack, often the only thing you feel up to is crawling into bed and going to sleep. And you might be on to something: Among people with migraine headaches, those who sleep fewer than six hours a night have more frequent and severe headaches than those who sleep longer, suggesting that lack of sleep and migraines are part of a vicious, painful cycle. But getting too much sleep can also be a migraine trigger for some people
What's the best way to interrupt this unhealthy pattern and get the rest you so desperately need? Mark W. Green, MD, director of the Center for Headache and Pain Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, suggests trying some preventive techniques to make falling asleep easier. "People who are sleep-deprived get more migraines, so you need to keep sleep very regular to break the cycle. This means going to sleep at the same time and getting up at the same time every single day." This rule applies regardless if it's a workday, the weekend — even when you're on vacation.
Since a lack of sleep plays such a pivotal role in migraine development, Green advises migraine sufferers to make sure that a deeper cause, such as sleep apnea or another sleep-related disorder, isn't at the root of their restless nights.
Additionally, regulating your nightly routine may help. In a study of about 40 women who experienced transformed migraines (chronic daily headaches), researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill asked half the group to make the following behavioral sleep modifications (BSMs):
- Go to bed at the same time every night to allow for eight hours of sleep.
- Eliminate TV watching, reading, or listening to the radio in bed.
- Use visualization techniques to shorten the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.
- Eat dinner at least four hours before going to bed, and limit fluid intake within two hours of bedtime.
- Take no naps.
After six weeks, the women who modified their sleep habits reported a 29 percent reduction in headache frequency and a 40 percent drop in headache intensity. The other group of women, who were given instructions unrelated to sleep, did not experience any improvement in headache frequency or intensity.
Migraine and Sleep Solutions
According to Green, being more even-keeled and modifying your sleep patterns, stress levels, and paying attention to possible food triggers (such as chocolate, sausage, and ripened cheeses) can lead to fewer, less-intense headaches. In addition, regular exercise may reduce the frequency of migraines.
If it's too late and a migraine is preventing you from sleep, Green suggests that the best tactic is to rest in a pitch-black room, placing two pillows behind your head for extra cushioning. Occasionally, over-the-counter sleep aids may be useful if the migraine is very powerful and keeping you from sleeping.