What Does a Sleep Deprivation Headache Feel Like?

Sleep deprivation is a condition where an individual is not getting an adequate amount of sleep. It is believed that lack of sleep can lead to a variety of medical issues, including headaches. According to research, sleep deprivation can cause headaches due to decreased neural plasticity in the brain. This is because when someone gets too little sleep, the brain does not have enough time to rest and repair itself, which leads to less-regulated neural pathways, resulting in headaches.

Several different kinds of headaches can be caused by sleep deprivation, such as tension headaches, migraines, hypnic headaches, and cluster headaches. Due to this wide variance, a headache caused by lack of sleep can feel very different from one person to the next. The following are common headaches caused by sleep deprivation, and the symptoms most associated with them:

– Migraine headaches:
– Extreme pain on one side of the head
– Vomiting
– Nausea
– Visual disturbances
– Sound sensitivity
– Dizziness

– Tension headaches:
– Dull tightening or pressure
– Starts at the forehead and circles around to the back of the head
– Occurs on both sides of the head

– Cluster headaches:
– Severe head pain around the eye area
– Usually occur in the evening or morning
– Can be extremely painful
– Often lasting five minutes to two hours

– Hypnic headaches:
– Can awaken the person
– Strike around the same time at night
– Shorter in duration

The fix for sleep deprivation headaches varies depending on the type of headache caused by the lack of sleep. However, in general, there are several at-home remedies and lifestyle adjustments that can help provide quick and effective relief, as well as long-term prevention. These include:

– Get active
– Always stay hydrated
– Use feverfew
– Increase your ginger and magnesium intake
– Get a massage
– Apply peppermint oil or lavender oil

When you have a headache, oftentimes the only desire is to lie down and close your eyes, hopefully getting some rest. That is because sleep can often cure a headache, as when you wake up, there is a significant reduction of tension and achiness, or even a complete amelioration of symptoms. The best way to ensure that you are getting enough rest is to sleep for around 7 to 9 hours, which should be ample enough to stop your headache. However, if you regularly experience a headache upon awakening, you may have sleep apnea, which often causes headaches due to restricted airflow and oxygenation. If this is the case, you should schedule a consultation with our dedicated sleep team.

Come to Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders for effective relief from sleep deprivation headaches. With our seven US locations, we serve patients from all across the country: we have one in Kansas City, MO; one in El Paso, TX; one in Wausau, WI; one in Mishawaka, IN; one in Bloomington, IL; and one in Peoria – Dunlap, IL. Schedule an appointment at any of our locations today to receive high quality care. We look forward to serving you!