It has become increasingly clear that there is a relationship between sleep and headache. We know that lack of sleep can trigger a migraine. It is also well established that sleep may help to relieve migraine headaches. We now know that various sleep disorders such as Insomnia and Sleep Apnea may be involved in worsening various types of headaches. One should be most suspicious of any headache that arises during sleep or upon wakening. These are most frequently related to an underlying sleep disorder. Several types of headaches have been directly linked to Sleep Apnea. The incidence of Sleep Apnea in Cluster headaches and migraines may be in excess of 50%. It is felt that the low oxygen levels associated with these apneas may be the triggering factor. Therefore it is recommended that patients with the sleep related headaches be tested with an overnight sleep study.
Sleep and Headache
