Migraines cause severe head pain accompanied by other uncomfortable symptoms.3 They can occur at any time of the day or night.3 Although the exact cause of migraines is currently unknown, they are often triggered by various factors including:3
- Hormonal changes
- Weather or other environmental changes
- Certain foods and food additives
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Sensory stimuli like smells, sounds or lights
Unlike tension headaches, migraines often involve symptoms beyond head pain. Migraine symptoms can begin up to two days before experiencing migraine head pain.3 Migraine auras can occur before or during a migraine attack and may include visual phenomena, like seeing bright spots or flashes of light, or vision loss.3 Common migraine attack symptoms include nausea or vomiting, extreme sensitivity to noise and light and blurred vision.3
Unlike other nighttime headaches, hypnic headaches occur exclusively at night. Also known as an alarm clock headache, they tend to happen at the same time every night and awake people from their sleep.4 Hypnic headaches are rare and usually begin after age 50.4
Pain associated with hypnic headaches ranges from mild to severe and typically occurs on both sides of the head.4 Other symptoms of hypnic headaches include:4
- Waking up with a headache more than 10 nights per month
- Headache pain that lasts between 15 minutes to 4 hours after waking up
- Nausea and vomiting
Headache symptoms can sometimes overlap with other conditions and medical problems.1 If you experience head pain or other symptoms of nighttime headaches, contact your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
How to Get Nighttime Headache Relief
If you have nighttime headaches or headaches that awaken you during sleep, talk to your healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis.1 Treatment for nighttime headaches varies, depending on the type of headache and their underlying causes.1 Your healthcare provider can advise the best course of treatment based on your age, medical history and other related factors.1 Effective nighttime headache management may include a combination of medication and lifestyle changes.1 Lifestyle changes to prevent and treat nighttime headaches may include:1
- Avoiding known headache triggers, like certain foods and beverages and lack of sleep
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercising regularly
- Resting in a quiet, dark environment
- Stress management
Not all types of nighttime headaches can be effectively treated through changes to your lifestyle. Migraine and cluster headaches, for example, typically require medication.1 Your healthcare provider may recommend one or more types of medication to manage your nighttime headache symptoms.1
- Rescue medicines. Medicines bought over the counter, like painkillers, stop the headache as it comes on. Some headache medicines, like Excedrin PM headache, combine effective pain relievers with a sleep aid to specifically treat nighttime headaches.
- Preventive medicines. If recommended by your healthcare provider, some medicines may be taken daily to reduce the onset of nighttime headaches.
- Abortive medicines. Your healthcare provider may prescribe headache medicine that acts on specific receptors in nerves and blood vessels in the head to stop a headache in progress.
Nighttime headaches cause discomfort and disrupt your sleep routine but can often be avoided with medication and other headache management strategies. To learn more about treating nighttime headaches, visit the Excedrin headache hub.