Why Your Morning Headache May Be Sleep-Related

January 29, 2025

Nothing can make you toss and turn at night quite like a pounding headache, and lack of sleep can also lead to a headache the next day. This can create a vicious cycle of sleepless nights and chronic headache pain, says University Hospitals sleep medicine expert Edward Kaye, MD.

If you're regularly waking up with a headache in the morning, evaluating the type of headache along with your sleep habits can help you find relief.

The Link Between Headaches and Sleep Disorders

Chronic headaches can increase the risk of sleep disorders because they encourags behaviors that can interfere with sleep. These include sleeping more during the day, spending large amounts of time awake in bed, using sleeping pills before bed and using stimulants such as caffeine during the day. While these strategies are used to ease pain and get better rest, they can actually make sleeping problems worse.

Headache pain and disrupted sleep can also become a source of stress and put a strain on your mental health. In fact, both chronic pain and sleep disorders increase the risk of depression and anxiety. “This can worsen the problem; the more stressed you become, the more likely you are to experience headache pain and sleep disruptions,” says Dr. Kaye.

Types of Morning Headaches

Types of morning headaches include:

Tension headaches: This type of headache may feel like your head is being squeezed, creating pain and pressure throughout your whole head.
Migraines: Migraine sufferers describe the pain as an intense throbbing in a specific location of the head, often paired with nausea and/or sensitivity to light and sound.
Cluster headaches: With cluster headaches, the pain usually occurs on one side of the head and tends to be very severe. You may also notice nasal congestion, watery eyes or puffy eyelids on the affected side.
Hypnic headaches: This is a rare headache disorder also referred to as “alarm clock” headaches. They usually start around the same time every night, waking you up. These headaches cause a throbbing or dull pain on both sides of the head and usually occur between midnight and 4 a.m., lasting 15 minutes to 2 hours.
Nocturnal hypertension headache: This less common type of nighttime headache is caused by high blood pressure. If you are frequently waking in the night with a headache, Dr. Kaye recommends talking with your primary care provider about tracking your blood pressure.
Intracranial structural headache: A rare but serious type of morning headache may be due to an intracranial structural cause. These headaches feel like pressure pain and tend to be worse with waking or prolonged lying down, positional changes or coughing. Dr. Kaye says you should seek urgent medical attention with this type of headache, especially if these headaches are associated with nausea/vomiting or blurry or double vision.

Other causes of early morning headaches include caffeine withdrawal, medication overuse headache (caused by frequently taking pain medication to treat another type of headache), and other medical conditions, such as cervical spine disorders and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Sleep Disorders That May Cause Headaches

There are several different sleep disorders that could be causing your morning headaches. Insomnia, which makes it hard to fall asleep and/or stay asleep, is one of the most common sleep problems. Lack of quality sleep can increase the risk for developing a tension headache during the day, which can then make it harder to sleep. Insomnia can also trigger or amplify other types of headaches, such as migraines or cluster headaches.

Morning headaches are a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder that causes breathing disruptions while you sleep. This lack of oxygen while you sleep could lead to developing a headache known as a hypoxic headache in the morning. OSA can also trigger migraines, cluster and tension headaches. The good news is that once OSA is identified and treated, the headaches usually go away.

Other sleep problems that can cause morning headaches include teeth grinding (bruxism), snoring, circadian rhythm disorders, and oversleeping/sleeping too much.

Seeking Care for Headaches and Sleep Problems

According to Dr. Kaye, there are more than 300 types of headaches, with many different potential causes. He says your primary care provider is often the first person to evaluate your headache, but general neurologists and headache subspecialists can provide additional care in the diagnosis and treatment of headaches.

If you suspect a sleep disorder, you should speak to your healthcare provider or a sleep medicine specialist. They can help identify the specific sleeping problems you are experiencing and develop solutions for a better night’s sleep.

Tips for Getting Better Sleep

In addition to treating any underlying sleep disorders, there are a number of strategies you can use to help encourage better sleep and reduce the chance of a morning headache. These include:

Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Try to keep a regular bedtime and wake-up time, and don’t deviate from it too much. If you sleep in on the weekend, try to keep it no more than 60–90 minutes beyond your normal wake time.
Develop a calming bedtime routine. Consistent activities leading up to bedtime can help signal your body that it’s time for sleep. Incorporate calming activities that help you wind down, such as taking a warm bath, sipping a cup of herbal tea or listening to relaxing music.
Make your bed a sleep-only zone. Reserve your bed for sleeping and sex. Other activities such as watching TV or working on your laptop should be done in another area of your home if possible.
Make your bedroom a device-free zone. Stay off your phone and tablet while in bed and consider storing your devices in another room at night so you aren’t tempted to use them if you wake up.
Limit caffeine and alcohol. Both alcohol and caffeine can cause sleep disruptions, especially if consumed too close to bedtime. Too much alcohol consumption before bed can also lead to the dreaded hangover headache in the morning and can worsen sleep apnea, leading to further worsening of your sleep quality and your health.
Exercise. Regular exercise can encourage a good night’s sleep. Try not to exercise too close to bedtime though, because it may make it harder to fall asleep.