[Editor's Note: This article was originally published in November 2018 but has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.]

Getting enough sleep is important for most people, but for migraine sufferers the quality of sleep can affect them as much as the quantity. Without restful sleep we’re not at our best, and we have lower resistance to health conditions.

Migraines and Sleep Problems

If you’ve ever lain awake in the early hours with an aching head, your sleep patterns could be the cause. Headache sufferers have a two to eight times higher risk of experiencing sleep problems than the general public, according to the American Migraine Foundation.

Statistics show that in specialty migraine clinics more than half the patients have chronic sleep disorders. Scientifically-accepted evidence shows that a relationship exists between migraines and sleep habits, but many people don’t understand the link or how to manage the condition.

Drawing the Connection

The relationship between sleep and migraines runs in both directions: poor sleep can trigger migraines, and migraines can disrupt sleep. Current research points to a bidirectional relationship, in which migraines contribute to sleep disruption, and poor sleep quality may intensify migraine frequency and severity.

A 2025 study backs this up. Researchers surveyed 103 adults with migraines about how well they slept, and two out of three were sleeping poorly. The pattern was hard to miss: the more migraines someone had, the worse their sleep tended to be. It was a small study, so it can't prove which came first, but it lines up with what other research keeps finding. 

So why does bad sleep so often mean head pain? It turns out sleep and migraines run on a lot of the same wiring. The part of your brain that controls your sleep-wake cycle is also one of the first areas involved in a migraine, and the two share several of the same chemical messengers, including serotonin and dopamine. So when your sleep gets disrupted, the same systems that help keep pain in check get knocked off balance. That's part of why migraines so often show up in the early morning hours, right after a rough night.

Common causes of poor-quality REM sleep include:

• Insomnia
• Snoring, sleep apnea, and bruxism (tooth grinding), which cause the sleeper to wake repeatedly
• Sleep disorders such as circadian rhythm disorders, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome (RLS), and sleepwalking
• Alcohol, drug, or caffeine use
• Irregular lifestyle habits

The practical takeaway is one that researchers increasingly emphasize: treatment plans work best when they address both migraine care and sleep quality together, using behavioral and medical approaches side by side. Improving your sleep isn't only about feeling more rested; it may also be one of the more direct ways to influence how often migraines strike.

Identify Sleep-Related Migraines

It’s better to avoid developing a migraine migraine than treating one after it begins, so preventing sleep-related migraines is the first step to resolving this issue. 

1. Track Your Habits: Add a section for sleeping patterns to your migraine diary. Make daily notes on how well you slept, how long it lasted, and your overall well-being when you wake up. Record whether you experienced difficulty falling asleep, and whether you’re anxious or depressed. View this alongside your other diary records to see if there’s correlation between any factors.

2. Discover Your Sleep Challenges: Find out if you snore heavily or grind your teeth, either by asking a sleeping companion, recording your night’s rest on your smartphone, or downloading and using a sleeping app. These not only measure the length and quality of your sleep, but can also determine factors such as your body temperature. Wearables such as the Apple Watch and FitBit combine this with signs of snoring and sleep apnea to provide a detailed sleep report.

3. Check Your Genetics: Migraines often run in families, which means there is a potential link between members who are predisposed to this condition. The gene in question controls circadian rhythms, which keeps our bodies in tune with the daily 24-hour light and dark cycle. Recent research identified a family with unusual sleep patterns who all rose between 1 am and 5 am, and who all suffered from migraines.
   

Form Better Sleep Habits

Going to bed at the same time every night is important for developing a consistent sleep schedule. This trains your body clock to “power down” at a specific time in every 24-hour period. When you combine this with a regular wake-up time, you’ll find you feel tired and ready for bed at the same time each evening. Additional steps you can take to form better sleep habits include:

1. Adopting a Good Sleeping Position:

   The positions you choose to sleep in can cause tension in your frame and trigger migraine pain. Even if you don’t actually develop a migraine during the night, your quality of sleep may be affected and you’ll wake up feeling tired and weak. Struggling to face the day feeling worn out makes you more susceptible to a migraine attack, so get the most comfortable bed you can afford and ensure you sleep with a pillow the right height to avoid straining your neck muscles.
   
   

2. Implementing Sleep Hygiene:

   This is a common term used for following a routine before sleeping, which consists of regular activities designed to relax you. Begin with a warm bath that soothes your muscles. Eliminate all disruptions and embrace a quiet period as you prepare for bed. Read a book instead of watching TV or reading on a tablet. These all help to lower the quantity of cortisol your body produces, which keeps alertness and stress levels down.
   
   

3. Avoiding Stimulation Before Rest: 

   Cut out alcohol, caffeine and smoking for between 4 and 6 hours before sleeping, to ensure you aren’t over-stimulating your brain ahead of bedtime. You can avoid natural stimulation, too, by taking a long bath soak, skipping viewing exciting TV shows and films, or doing anything that pushes you into activity. Write out your to-do list for the morning before you try and sleep, so you’re not kept awake thinking of things you need to remember.
   
   

4. Creating a Safe Haven: 

   The right sleep environment is vital to encourage healthy, undisturbed rest. Turn your bedroom into a safe place that’s cool, dark and uncluttered. Keep the temperature steady between 60F and 67F, and ensure it’s well-ventilated. Get rid of any digital clocks and other brightly-lit objects that can intrude on your sleep, and avoid noise pollution by wearing earplugs if necessary. Eye masks can also help prevent distraction or the intrusion of light in the morning.
   
   

5. Get Moving Early:

   If you’re a fan of evening workouts, make sure you do them early enough to complete the routine at least 3 hours before you’re ready to sleep. While exercise is an excellent way of relaxing and releasing endorphins, it also releases cortisol that increases alertness. If you feel physical activity is essential close to your bedtime, focus on doing relaxation exercises correctly to help you wind down for the day.
   
   

6. Watching Your Intake:

   As well as avoiding stimulants, it’s a good idea to eat lighter meals at night to avoid any foods that can cause indigestion. Heavy, protein-filled dishes are a common sleep-killer, and by reducing the quantity of liquid you take in you can also avoid having to make several trips to the bathroom during the night. Review your medications, too, in case you’re using anything with sleeplessness as a side effect.

Treating Your Sleep Related Migraines

Managing your sleep and mood is critical for treating sleep-related migraines. Migraineurs who get insomnia often also experience anxiety or depression. When combined with poor sleep patterns and mood problems, they struggle to function and this affects their quality of life and increases their migraine frequency. Common treatments for insomnia include behavioral sleep therapy, cognitive therapy, relaxation training and sleep behavior modification, performed by sleep specialists or psychologists, according to the National Sleep Foundation.  

Antidepressants are sometimes used as migraine treatment, specifically the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which can help stabilize the serotonin membranes and block migraines. For sleep apnea, many patients find their migraines improve or stop after receiving apnea treatment.

If your sleep quality doesn’t improve in a few weeks after introducing these measures, consider scheduling a consultation to find out if other issues are present. Talk to them about pharmaceutical solutions, or alternative products such as valerian or melatonin.