Morning headaches - 5 reasons they occur

Headache - an important symptom

Experts recommend not underestimating headaches. Such pain can occur in various forms and is usually triggered by a specific trigger. There are over 200 types of the most common diseases, and none of them should be underestimated.

Even a lack of fluids during the day or a few hours of sleep deprivation can cause headaches. However, sometimes there may be a deeper cause behind this symptom. It is important to find it to choose the right treatment and prevent pain in the future.

Causes of headaches

Migraine

This type of headache is one of the most common types and is also typical in the morning.

"The time of day is between 4 and 9 in the morning. At this time, the body tends to produce fewer endorphins and enkephalins - they act as natural pain relievers in the body," explains Jennifer Krigler, a doctor at the Headache Center at the Cleveland Clinic.

She added that in the early morning hours, an increased amount of adrenaline is released. This increases blood pressure, which can trigger migraines.

Sleep apnea syndrome

This type of disorder can indeed cause serious symptoms. Sleep apnea syndrome should not be taken lightly: it can cause many people to stop breathing during sleep.

This can cause headaches at night due to a lack of oxygen and increased pressure. It is difficult to determine on your own if you have such problems. Typically, such people, despite long and deep sleep, do not feel rested and suffer from headaches.

Teeth grinding

Teeth grinding can cause tension in the jaw joints, which connect the lower jaw to the skull in front of the ear. This habit often goes unnoticed, although it can have many negative health consequences. For example, it can lead to changes in the position of the jaw.

All this leads to tension, which can trigger headaches. If you suspect that your morning headache is caused by teeth grinding or your dentist has made the necessary diagnosis, consider the next steps. For example, using a cap or splint.

Alcohol consumption

Strong alcoholic beverages often trigger headaches in the morning. Alcohol contains compounds that interact negatively with neurotransmitters in the brain and can cause headaches or even migraines.

Alcohol is a diuretic - it makes you go to the bathroom more often. Many people wake up dehydrated after drinking alcohol, which can worsen headaches or contribute to their development.

If it turns out that certain types of alcohol cause more headaches than others, it's better to avoid them next time you drink - drinking enough water before bed can also work wonders.

Serious illness

In isolated cases, there is a possibility that something potentially serious is behind the headache - high blood pressure may indicate a brain tumor.

People with brain tumors often wake up early in the morning with a headache because the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid is highest early in the morning.

"If the tumor causes swelling, it stretches the membranes of the brain and causes a headache," says Dr. Krigler.

But this is rare and not the most likely cause. If a brain tumor is indeed causing symptoms, according to Dr. Williams, there are likely to be other noticeable symptoms such as vision or balance problems, dizziness, and changes in mental state.

We also talked about the signs of deteriorating health that should not be ignored.

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.