Migraine and sleep disorders

Sleep is one of the most useful migraine patterns to track because both too little sleep and too much sleep can be triggers for some people. Sleep disorders can also make migraine harder to control.

Poor sleep quality, insomnia, irregular schedules, shift work, snoring, and suspected sleep apnea are worth discussing with a clinician, especially when morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, or frequent migraine days are part of the pattern.

What to track

• Bedtime, wake time, and major schedule changes.
• Sleep quality, awakenings, naps, and shift work.
• Morning headache, dry mouth, snoring reports, or daytime sleepiness.
• Caffeine, alcohol, screens, and late meals.
• Migraine start time and severity.

What helps the appointment

Bring several weeks of sleep and migraine notes rather than one perfect night of detail. Patterns such as weekend oversleeping, short sleep before attacks, or morning headache clusters are easier to discuss when they are visible.

Sources checked: MedlinePlus migraine, NIH MedlinePlus migraine triggers, MedlinePlus managing migraines at home.

Can sleep apnea affect migraine?

Sleep apnea and poor sleep can be relevant to headache patterns, so ask a clinician if you snore, wake unrefreshed, or have morning headaches.