What Causes Morning Headache?
A headache in the morning can be part of a primary headache syndrome or can be a symptom of other conditions.
Common causes of morning headaches include:
- Sleep apnea
- Insomnia
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorders including advanced or delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, irregular or non–24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder, and shift work or jet lag disorder.
- Sleep-related bruxism (tooth grinding)
- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Hangover
- Caffeine withdrawal
- Medication overuse headache
- Obesity-hypoventilation syndrome
- Migraine
What Are Symptoms of Morning Headache?
A morning headache may be accompanied by other symptoms, depending on the cause.
Other symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Loud snoring
- Fatigue
- Daytime sleepiness
- Restless sleep
- Awakening with choking, gasping, or smothering
- Dry mouth or sore throat
- Frequently waking to urinate
- Awakening unrested, groggy
- Low energy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
Other symptoms of insomnia include:
- Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
- Forgetfulness
- Poor concentration
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Lowered motivation or energy
- Increased errors or accidents
Other symptoms of circadian rhythm sleep disorders include:
- Extreme daytime sleepiness
- Insomnia (see above)
- Tiredness
- Decreased alertness
- Problems with memory and decision-making
Other symptoms of sleep-related bruxism (tooth grinding) include:
- Jaw pain
- Clicking in the temporomandibular joint
- Damage to teeth and dental work
- Temperature sensitivity in the teeth
- Need for dental restorations
- Tooth wear on tooth surfaces that contact from grinding
Other symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) include:
- Dull pain on one side of the face, near the ear
- Pain may also affect the ear, jaw, or back of the neck
- Pain is typically constant, but may come and go
- Pain is usually worse with jaw movement
- Heating a clicking or popping sound or have a “crunchy feeling” in the joint when opening and closing the mouth
Other symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease include:
- Shortness of breath, especially when moving
- Wheezing
- Coughing up phlegm (mucus)
Other symptoms of hangover include:
Other symptoms of caffeine withdrawal include:
- Tiredness/fatigue
- Decreased energy
- Decreased alertness
- Drowsiness
- Decreased contentedness
- Depressed mood
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Feeling fuzzy/not clearheaded
- Flu-like symptoms
- Nausea
Other symptoms of obesity-hypoventilation syndrome include:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Loud snoring
- Choking during sleep
- Snorting
- Fatigue
- Impaired concentration and memory
Other symptoms of migraine include:
- Prodrome: symptoms 24 to 48 hours before a migraine headache comes on such as increased yawning, a feeling of euphoria, depression, irritability, food cravings, constipation, and neck stiffness
- Aura: flashing lights or bright spots, zigzag lines, changes in vision, or numbness or tingling in the fingers of one hand, lips, tongue, or lower face
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitivity to light and noise
How Is Morning Headache Diagnosed?
A doctor will perform a physical exam and ask for a detailed patient history to try to determine the possible cause of morning headaches. Depending on the suspected cause of the morning headaches, different tests may be indicated, such as:
- Sleep study (polysomnogram)
- Home monitoring devices that monitor breathing, oxygen saturation, position, and heart rate
- Sleep diary to track when and how long you sleep
- Hormone tests
- Daily sleep log
- Record of activity and movement with a monitor or motion detector, generally worn on the wrist throughout the day and night (actigraphy)
- X-ray of the jaw (to diagnose TMJ)
- Spirometry (to check for COPD)
- Blood test for a genetic problem called “antitrypsin deficiency” that can cause COPD
- Chest X-ray
- Electrocardiogram (“ECG”)
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan
- Pulmonary function tests
What Is the Treatment for Morning Headache?
Treatment for morning headaches depends on the cause.
Treatment for sleep apnea includes:
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
- Adjusting sleep position (to stay off the back)
- Weight loss
- Avoiding alcohol and other sedatives
- Dental devices
- Surgery
Treatment for insomnia includes:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)
- Sleep education
- Sleep restriction or sleep compression
- Stimulus control
- Sleep hygiene
- Relaxation exercises
- Sleep medications, both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription
Treatment for circadian rhythm disorder includes:
- Light therapy
- Light restriction (dark therapy)
- Chronotherapy
- Sleep deprivation/phase advance
- Medicines to help you fall asleep or to help you stay awake
- Healthy lifestyle changes including steps to improve your sleep habits
Treatment for temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) includes:
- Avoid things that trigger TMJ pain
- Jaw exercises
- Medicines to relieve pain and relax the muscles
- Devices: “bite plates” or “occlusal splints”
Treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes:
Treatment for hangover includes:
- Drinking plenty of water
- Getting adequate vitamins
- Treatment for alcoholism (alcohol use disorder) usually includes:
- Counseling
- Medications
- Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Treatment for caffeine withdrawal includes:
- Gradual reduction in caffeine intake
Treatment for medication overuse headache includes:
- Discontinuation of the medication that is causing the headache
- Never stop taking a prescribed medication without first talking to your doctor
Treatment for obesity-hypoventilation syndrome includes:
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
- Weight loss
- Lifestyle modifications
- Medications
- Tracheostomy
- Bariatric Surgery
Treatment for migraine includes:
- Avoiding migraine triggers
- Pain relievers
- Migraine headache medicines
- Anti-nausea medicines
- Botox
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