Daytime Sleep And Headaches: What's The Connection?

Sleep is supposed to leave you feeling refreshed, but sometimes you wake up with a headache. There are many reasons why sleeping during the day might give you a headache, including sleep disorders, teeth grinding, and dehydration. Oversleeping can also disrupt your body's natural rhythms, particularly affecting neurotransmitters like serotonin, which help regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Other factors that can contribute to morning headaches include conditions like hypersomnia, where one consistently sleeps too much, teeth grinding (bruxism), and dehydration.

Sleep disorders and anxiety

People with anxiety disorders often have higher sleep reactivity, which means they are much more likely to experience sleeping problems when facing stress. Sleep disturbances are a diagnostic symptom of some anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Anxiety disorders can create a loop of insomnia, stress, and worry. This can lead to persistent feelings of emptiness, numbness, sadness, tiredness, or fatigue. It can also cause sleeping too much or too little, changes in eating habits, constipation or diarrhoea, slow speech or movements, and a frequent feeling of being on edge.

Anxiety can affect rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is the phase of sleep when you tend to have vivid dreams. If you have anxiety, these dreams may turn into nightmares that wake you up. Sleep deprivation can also instigate or worsen anxiety disorders.

Treatments for sleep anxiety may include therapy, better sleep hygiene, or medication. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is a common treatment for anxiety disorders. It is a type of talk therapy that works to reorient negative thinking and has been successful in reducing anxiety.

Dehydration

When the body is dehydrated, the brain temporarily contracts, pulling away from the skull and causing pain. This pain is what we know as a dehydration headache. The pain can be felt all over the head or be more localized to the front, back, or side. It tends to get worse with head movements, such as bending or shaking the head.

• Dark urine and decreased urination
• Dizziness and confusion
• Heat cramps (muscle cramps)
• Intense thirst
• Fatigue

To treat a dehydration headache, it is important to address both the pain and the fluid loss. Here are some ways to relieve a dehydration headache:

• Increase fluid intake by drinking water or other healthy fluids. It is recommended to take small sips of water, as drinking too much too quickly can upset the stomach.
• Replace lost electrolytes with a sports drink. However, these drinks often contain high levels of sugar, so they should be consumed in moderation or chosen without added sugar.
• Reduce physical activity and avoid heat exposure to minimize sweating.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they can contribute to dehydration.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to manage the pain.

It is important to note that severe dehydration may require medical attention, especially if vomiting prevents adequate fluid intake. In such cases, intravenous fluids may be necessary to relieve the headache.

Serotonin disruption

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps maintain your body's circadian rhythm, the natural sleep-wake cycle that your body follows to rest and refresh your bodily processes. When you oversleep, you interrupt this neural pathway, which can lead to a headache.

Serotonin is moved by neurons in your brain to a series of receptors that are programmed by your genes to make you fall asleep or wake up. This process is called a neural pathway. When you oversleep, you interrupt this neural pathway, and your body begins to need nourishment and hydration, which can lead to a headache until these needs are met.

Additionally, oversleeping can affect the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Researchers believe that oversleeping may cause a disturbance in the underlying rhythms that regulate melatonin production, leading to lower melatonin levels and, subsequently, headaches.

To prevent headaches from oversleeping, it is important to maintain a consistent sleep schedule and create a conducive sleep environment.

Bruxism (teeth grinding)

Bruxism is the involuntary grinding, gnashing, or clenching of teeth and can happen during sleep or while awake. When this grinding or clenching is associated with a headache, it is referred to as a "bruxism headache". The three types of headaches associated with bruxism are morning headaches, tension-type headaches, and migraine headaches.

Morning Headaches from Bruxism

Sleep bruxism is involuntary teeth grinding that happens during sleep. Sleep bruxism is classified as a sleep disorder and has been connected to "wake-up" headaches. There are two possible reasons for the link between sleep bruxism and morning headaches. Firstly, sleep bruxism may be indicative of other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, which is often associated with morning headaches due to oxygen deprivation during sleep. Secondly, a morning bruxism headache could be a result of fatigue and muscle soreness from constant jaw muscle contraction throughout the night.

Tension Headaches from Bruxism

Tension headaches are characterised by a diffuse band-like headache with dull, aching pain, and possible tightness or tenderness in the scalp, neck, and shoulder area. Bruxism fatigues the "masticatory muscles" (the eating muscles), leading to soreness and tension headaches.

Migraine Headaches from Bruxism

There is a well-established association between migraine headaches and teeth grinding. This is puzzling because migraines are caused by the dilation of arteries deep in the brain. However, research suggests that when the trigeminal nerve sends pain signals from the TMJ to the brain, it triggers a chemical cascade that results in the onset of a migraine.

Bruxism Headache Treatment

The treatment for a bruxism headache depends on the type of headache and its cause. For morning headaches, it is recommended to get a sleep study to check for sleep apnea. For tension-type or migraine headaches, consulting a doctor to determine if medications or other treatments can help with pain relief is advised.

Additionally, there are some simple home measures that can be taken to relieve jaw strain from bruxism:

• Jaw rest: Start a soft diet and avoid chewing gum. Be mindful of proper resting tongue position and relaxed facial muscles during the day.
• Hot/Cold Therapy: Alternating heat and cold over the TMJ region can relax jaw muscle hyperactivity and provide pain relief.
• Oral Splint Therapy: An anterior bite guard is an oral appliance worn overnight to prevent clenching. It is designed for short-term use to determine if a custom oral appliance specifically designed for bruxism is needed.

Alcohol consumption

Daytime sleep can lead to headaches for a variety of reasons, including dehydration, sleep disorders, and disruptions to your natural sleep cycle. While the exact cause may vary from person to person, there are some common factors that can contribute to headaches after napping during the day.

Now, let's focus on alcohol consumption and its relation to headaches:

• Vasodilation: Alcohol contains a chemical called ethanol, which is a vasodilator. This means it increases the size of blood vessels in the body, which can trigger migraine attacks, especially in people who are already prone to headaches or migraines.
• Congeners: Congeners are chemicals found in alcoholic drinks, particularly in dark-colored alcohols like red wine, brandy, and whiskey. Congeners have been linked to headaches and may contribute to alcohol-induced migraines.
• Histamine: Alcohol contains histamine, a compound that can cause vascular headaches. Red wine, in particular, has high levels of histamine.
• Dehydration: Alcohol has a diuretic effect, causing increased urination and dehydration. Dehydration is a common trigger for headaches, and alcohol-induced dehydration can be a significant contributing factor.
• Sleep Disturbances: Alcohol consumption can negatively impact sleep quality, leading to sleep deprivation and disturbances in the sleep-wake cycle. Sleep issues can trigger headaches, especially in people prone to migraines.
• Inflammation: Alcohol stimulates the production of histamine, which boosts inflammation throughout the body. This increased inflammation can contribute to headaches and other hangover symptoms.
• Gender and Body Weight: Females tend to have higher blood alcohol concentrations due to lower body weight, making them more susceptible to alcohol-induced headaches and hangovers.
• Ethnicity and Genetic Factors: Genetic factors and ethnicity can also play a role in alcohol sensitivity and tolerance. For example, individuals of East Asian ancestry often have reduced ability to break down acetaldehyde, a byproduct of alcohol metabolism, leading to increased sensitivity.
• Medications: Alcohol can interact with certain medications, interfering with the breakdown of alcohol and its byproducts, which can worsen hangover symptoms, including headaches.

It is important to note that the effects of alcohol on headaches can vary from person to person, and the specific type of alcoholic beverage may also make a difference. Avoiding alcohol or drinking in moderation, staying hydrated, and avoiding certain medications that interact with alcohol can help reduce the risk of alcohol-induced headaches.

Frequently asked questions