You havent even opened your eyes yet but your head is already pounding.
Instead of waking up refreshed and rested, youre awaking with a headache.
If this happens to you often, youre not alone.
Waking up with a headache may be a sign of something more.
If they happen occasionally, theyre probably no big deal.
So if youve been asking yourself lately, Why do I wake up every morning with a headache?
here are some potential causesand solutionsto keep in mind.
If youre having chronic morning headaches, theyre most likely amigraineor tension headache.
Amigraineoften starts between four and nine a.m., Dr. Shadbehr says.
How do you know if its a migraine or tension headache?
The location and quality of the pain are two clues.
A migraine, on the other hand, is often localized to one spotsay, right behind your eye.
The pain is piercing, and you may have other symptoms, such assensitivity to lightornausea.
Ahead are potential reasons youre waking up with a headache.
What causes headaches and migraine, in general?
Its important to understand that a migraine is not the same as a run-of-the-mill headache.
In fact, migraine is actually a neurological condition.
What are the most common causes of morning headaches?
Poor sleep quality can cause headaches, and improved sleep quality can help relieve them.
There is also a link betweeninsomniaand headaches.
Treating insomnia (and in turn, morning headaches) starts with getting to the root of the problem.
Insomnia can be both its own primary problem or a side effect of other conditions.
Plenty of things can cause chronic insomnia, from certain mental disorders tostressand poor sleep habits.
Sleep apneais a potentially serious condition that causes people to repeatedly stop breathing during their sleep.
There are many to manage your symptoms.
Avoid them as much as it’s possible for you to.
This is most common in people whochug coffeefrom morning till night, but it can happen to anyone.
A big part of that is a raging headache.
And since many people drink coffee in the morning, it can come on first thing.
And be sure to wean yourself off slowly.
All this leads to tension, which can escalate into a headache.
The solution is pretty simple: Avoid drinking too much.
Taking them regularly can actually turn an episodic headache into a chronic one, Dr. Shadbehr explains.
Researchers dont know exactly why rebound headaches develop.
Sometimes the medications you take for other health conditions can actually trigger morning headaches.
If your headaches persist, talk to your doctor about the best way to proceed with your treatment plan.
Theres also a connection between anxiety and depression and migraine.
People with migraine also experience more fatigue than those who dont, which can negatively impact your everyday life.
You may feel your symptoms arent being acknowledged or addressed.
Or your eating habits may change as a result of the depression or the headaches, says Dr. Shadbehr.
These psychosocial conditions can make you situationally depressed.
It’s much more likely that your morning headaches are because of something much less serious.
How to treat morning headaches
The right treatment depends on whats causing your morning headaches.
What you think is a run-of-the-mill headache could be migraine or another condition that needs more targeted treatment.
