What Is Sleep Headache?
A Sleep Headaches disorder causes a sleep headache and can be very debilitating. It can occur any time during the night, lasting from a few minutes to several hours. It can cause pain in one or both eyes and often begins within an hour of sleep. Other symptoms include eyelid drooping and tearing, and stuffiness in the nostril.
Some people have sleep headaches due to obstructive sleep apnea, OSAS. Others have a sleep headache triggered by medication overuse or psychiatric comorbidity. Regardless of the cause, managing a sleep headache starts with a proper diagnosis. Screening for sleep disorders may be necessary if the problem is a cluster headache. Depending on the severity of the headache, treatments such as oxygen may be used to help the patient sleep better.
Top Five Reasons People Get Sleep Headaches
Many factors can cause sleep headaches. These include emotional reasons, such as worry or exhaustion. These things can cause restless nights and prevent you from getting enough rest. While you may not be able to control the causes, there are ways to manage them. These methods include meditation and exercise.
Insomnia
Sleep headaches are caused by a lack of sleep and can be painful. Generally, people need seven to nine hours of sleep each night to be healthy. However, this amount varies from person to person and can change as we age. The ideal way to test your sleep needs is to sleep until you wake up naturally, which is often difficult for those with busy schedules. While there are many possible causes of sleep headaches, good sleep hygiene can go a long way to relieving headaches caused by lack of sleep.
Sleep Apnea
One of the main reasons people get sleep headaches is because of a disorder called sleep apnea. This disorder causes breathing to stop during sleep and causes the brain to get less oxygen. It also increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, causing the blood vessels in the brain to dilate and cause pain.
Depression
Depression is a serious condition that can cause a person to experience a sleep headache. The pain is usually steady and non-pulsatile, often in a band-like pattern around the head. Some people describe the pain as “vise-like” or “heavy,” and others describe it as “soreness.” Patients with depression usually report a headache worse in the morning and evening.
Anxiety
Headaches are a common symptom of anxiety and get worse as anxiety increases. If you suffer from frequent headaches, you should look into your anxiety and see if you have an underlying cause. There are several things you can do to deal with anxiety headaches. Extreme anxiety can cause oversleeping and this can also cause sleep headaches. Also, there are other reasons of oversleeping.
Muscle Tension
Muscle tension is one of the major causes of headaches. This problem can occur due to tight muscles and lack of energy. Tight muscles prevent the proper circulation of blood and produce waste products like lactic acid, water, and carbon dioxide. To treat this condition, patients must identify the cause of muscle tension and take measures to relieve it.
Tips To Getting Rid Of Sleep Headaches
Getting the right amount of sleep is critical to preventing sleep-related headaches. However, this can vary from person to person and can change over time. In addition, your needs will vary with age. Ideally, it would help if you slept until you are naturally woken up in the morning. However, this may not always be possible, especially if you have obligations. Treatment for sleep-related headaches will depend on the cause of the problem.
REM Sleep
One common cause of a sleep headache is a lack of REM sleep. The body needs this stage to consolidate memories and regulate mood. Lack of REM sleep causes the production of chronic pain proteins, which decreases the body’s pain threshold and can trigger migraines. To overcome this problem, try to improve your sleep by promoting REM sleep. You can also practice other mechanisms to reduce stress.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often used to treat tension headaches. Their purpose is to ease inflammation and relieve pain, but there are also some negative side effects. They may affect your heart, blood pressure, and kidneys. They can also adversely affect your stomach and digestive system.
Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques can be helpful for the treatment of headaches. They can help calm the body and mind and reduce the intensity and frequency of headaches. However, these techniques should be practiced regularly to get effective results. For best results, it is best to practice them at least twice daily.
A recent review compared studies of relaxation methods with placebos and pain medicines. It found that both treatments reduced the time it takes to fall asleep. However, research on pain medicine was mixed. It also found that relaxation techniques were less effective than expected. However, this review did note that relaxation techniques are safe and effective for healthy individuals and have few negative side effects.
The Bottom Line
Adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. While this is an ideal amount of sleep, people’s needs can change during the day. While it’s best to try to sleep until you wake naturally, this is not always possible, and many people have commitments that prevent them from getting this much sleep. However, there are a few effective treatments for sleep-related headaches.