Undoubtedly, headaches are an easy way to ruin a good night’s sleep. Pounding pain in your head doesn’t exactly fit into a “relaxing” night routine. Keep reading to learn about the possible reasons you may be getting a headache and the next steps you can take to hit the pillow with ease.

Why do I get headaches when I wake up?

You constantly ask yourself, “why do I have a headache when I wake up?” Headaches in the morning are more common than you may think, especially for women over men and for people between 45 and 64. Research has found that around 1 in every 13 people wake up with headaches.

The American Migraine Foundation named these as some of the common headaches linked to sleep.

• Wake-up headache: headaches you get right in the morning
• Cluster headache: painful headaches usually develop within an hour of falling asleep.
• Hypnic headache: a rare disorder that causes people to experience headaches during sleep that can last between 15 minutes and 4 hours.

Possible causes of morning headaches

You snore in your sleep.

That’s right, regular snoring was identified as a risk factor for chronic daily headaches. This may signify that you have obstructive sleep apnea (a common sleep disorder). Snoring doesn’t automatically mean you have sleep apnea, but it could be worth talking to your doctor.

You’re getting too much sleep.

Getting too much or too little sleep can trigger headaches. According to the Sleep Foundation, low-quality and longer sleep has been linked to more intense headaches.

You sleep in an uncomfortable posture.

We’ve all experienced that uncomfortable feeling of waking up with a kink in our neck. Sleeping posture is essential because poor posture can make your muscles tense or strained. Chronic pain is also known to affect sleep quality.

Your brain is more sensitive in the morning.

Your brain issusceptible in the morning when it wakes up, meaning you’re more susceptible to headaches.

Your pain medication has worn off by the morning.

Typically, pain medications take 4-8 hours to wear off, which means anything you took the night before will be gone by the time you wake up. Additionally, headaches can start when you’re asleep; it may be less effective by the time you wake up and take pain medication.

You have sinus pain and congestion.

Your nose is more likely to get congested at night when lying down. Additionally, allergies tend to be worse at night. The result? A sleep-impending headache. To avoid this sinus pain, try propping up your head on an additional pillow (this means it’s harder for your nose to get congested). In an article in Everyday Health, Dr. Satish Govindaraj, MD, of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, recommends skipping that drink of alcohol before bed, taking an antihistamine before bed, and some other simple lifestyle changes.

The link between migraines and sleep

Migraines and sleep disorders seem to go hand in hand for many patients, though scientists are still exploring why this is. According to the American Migraine Foundation, people living with migraines are 2 to 8 more likely to have sleep disorders than the general public. People with chronic migraines report having insomnia almost double the amount people with less frequent headaches do.

Why is this? The American Migraine Foundation says it’s because of the comorbidities (like sleep disorders) and lifestyle factors that can make it hard to get a good night’s sleep.

The good news? Science has shown that preventative migraine treatmentscan help improve the quality of sleep. Make sure you talk to your doctor about your migraines to rule out any other possible causes of your pain so they can prescribe proper treatment.

In the meantime, here are daily things people with migraines can do to improve sleep quality.

• Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends (aiming for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night)
• Avoid taking naps during the day
• Try staying away from electronics before bed
• Practice relaxation techniques like meditating to help you wind down before bed

These help to improve your sleep hygiene, so whether or not you suffer from migraines, it could benefit your sleep quality to give these tips a try!

Are you looking for more? Try BetterSleep to your nighttime routine for free to help you relax and wind down before bed.