Why do you sometimes wake up with a headache? Gorilla Healthy Explained
Headaches are really unpleasant. In most cases, we know why we get headaches and can control the triggers. For example, drinking too much alcohol or not getting enough sleep can both lead to a headache when you wake up. But what causes the headaches that torment you in the middle of the night or when you wake up in the morning? Sleep is supposed to be a time when our bodies and brains rest and recharge, so waking up with a headache for no apparent reason can be extremely frustrating.
Before we get into what causes nighttime headaches, let's look at three common types of headaches that occur at night or right after you wake up. Examining the headache, its location, severity, and other accompanying symptoms can help determine the type of headache and determine which treatments may help.
1. Morning headaches
Waking up in the morning with a headache is no fun. Morning headaches can range from a dull, throbbing pain to a sharp, stabbing pain or tightness in the head. The types of morning headaches range from migraine to tension and occur immediately upon waking or shortly thereafter.
2. Hypnic headaches
Hypnic headaches, sometimes called "alarm clock" headaches, are rare, affecting less than 1% of people. They occur while sleeping, which makes them different from migraines or cluster headaches, which can occur at any time of the day or night. Like the nightmare that they are, only Hypnic headaches are brave enough to only occur at night.
Common symptoms of hypnic headaches include dull or throbbing pain affecting one or both sides of the head, multiple night wakings due to headache several times a month, nausea, tenderness to light or noise or watery eyes or runny nose.
3. Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches are characterized by intense throbbing pain in the eye, around the eye, or behind the eye and can last from 20 minutes to three hours. These headaches may also cause the eyelid to droop, redness or tearing to occur, or swelling of the side of the nostril where the pain occurs. Cluster headaches can occur at any time, even during sleep. If this is the case, an attack usually occurs within an hour of falling asleep and the pain is severe.
Top 6 main causes of headaches while sleeping
All three of these headaches can occur during sleep and will undoubtedly affect your sleep quality. If you have any of these symptoms or are simply wondering, "Why do I get a headache when I wake up?" - There are probably several reasons to consider, such as the following 6 culprits for sleep headaches.
1. Insomnia caused by sleeplessness
Studies have shown that sleep disorders and headache disorders share common brain structures and pathogenic mechanisms that cause tension headaches, migraines, and sleep disorders to often occur together - for example, 50% of individuals with tension headaches or migraines have sleep disorders.
2. Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea occurs when you stop breathing for short periods of time during the night. Of course, our bodies don't respond well to suffocation of any kind, and it can result in a throbbing headache in the morning. Headaches associated with sleep apnea usually present as a pressing pain on both sides of the head instead of the pulsating pain usually associated with migraines or hypnic headaches.
3. Emotional Factors
Sleep headaches can arise from emotional reasons, such as stress in the form of worry and fatigue - both of which can disrupt sleep and trigger headaches. For example, tension headaches can occur when you go through a stressful day without giving your body a chance to rest and recover. If you think emotional reactions are sabotaging your sleep quality, try exercise or meditation to manage the stress.
4. Behavioral factors
Unfortunately, we can often be our own worst enemies. If you're wondering what causes morning headaches, it's worth taking a closer look at your habits during the day and before bed. For example, we recently talked about the phenomenon of "revenge sleep procrastination," where people stay awake later than desired in order to gain control of the night because they have (perhaps subconsciously) tricked themselves into controlling it losing track of the day's events.
5. Incorrect sleeping position
What about your sleeping position - can sleeping incorrectly cause morning headaches? The short answer is yes; certain sleeping positions can put unnecessary pressure on the neck and shoulders, leading to tension headaches. If you suspect this may be the cause, try different sleeping positions, a new neck pillow , or a different mattress with more or less support.
6. Mysterious Causes
Despite increasing research into the mysteries of sleep and sleep-related disorders, there are still phenomena that science cannot truly explain, such as hypnic headaches and exploding head syndrome. We've already talked about hypnic headaches and noted how rare they are. Another rare and mysterious sleep troublemaker is exploding head syndrome (yes, you read that right).
This parasomnia (i.e. an adverse event that occurs during sleep) occurs when a thunderous noise wakes you from sleep. People usually describe this noise as a loud bang, a clash of cymbals, or an explosion. Those affected have also described flashes of light or muscle twitching that accompany the noise. Although exploding head syndrome is distressing, it is usually painless. However, some report a sudden stabbing pain in the head that accompanies it.
All in all, sleep headaches are common and triggered by many emotional, physical, environmental, and mysterious factors. Science simply doesn't have all the answers - at least not yet. But if you're looking for ways to relieve headaches caused by sleep, we recommend starting with good sleep hygiene .
Our website also offers a wealth of information and resources about sleep and how to master it. However, if you take the right steps to give yourself a restful night's sleep and still wake up with a headache, it's time to contact your healthcare provider for further help.
