Whats Behind that Morning Migraine? Community-Based Study Points to Differences in Perceived Sleep Quality, Energy on the Previous Day

February 8th, 2024byDr. Monica M. Bertagnolli

Headachesare the most common form of pain and a major reason people miss work or school. Recurrent attacks ofmigraine headaches can be especially debilitating, involving moderate to severe throbbing and pulsating pain on one side of the head that sometimes lasts for days. Migraines and severe headaches affect about 1 in 5 women and about 1 in 10 men, making them one of the most prevalent of all neurological disorders.And yet theres still a lot we dont know about what causes headaches or how to predict when one is about to strike.

Now a newNIH-led studyreported in the journalNeurologyhas some important insight.One of the things I especially appreciate about this new work is that it was conducted in a community setting rather than through a specialty clinic, with people tracking their own headache symptoms, sleep, mood, and more on a mobile phone app while they went about their daily lives. It means that the findings are extremely relevant to the average migraine sufferer who shows up in a primary care doctors office looking for help for their recurrent headaches.