A recently published study by the University of Arizona Health Sciences has shed light on the intriguing connection between sleep disturbances and migraine attacks. This pivotal research not only provides a better understanding of the directional relationship between poor sleep and migraines but also opens up the possibility of mitigating migraine frequency through improved sleep hygiene.
Numerous individuals afflicted with migraines report experiencing sleep disturbances such as insomnia, difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, poor sleep quality, excessive daytime drowsiness, awakening during sleep, and being compelled to sleep due to migraine headaches. Until recently, whether migraines precipitate poor sleep or vice versa remained unclear.
Frank Porreca, PhD, principal investigator and research director for the Comprehensive Center for Pain & Addiction, along with being a professor of pharmacology at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson, commented, “The way it has been investigated in the past has been through patient-reported information, which is subjective. We quantitatively measured sleep in preclinical models and found that migraine-like pain does not influence sleep, but if you have disrupted sleep, your chances of having a migraine attack if you’re a migraine patient are much higher.”
Porreca spearheaded a research team employing preclinical mouse models to investigate sleep disruption, as mouse sleep architecture closely parallels that of humans, encompassing phases of deep sleep, REM sleep, and light sleep. Sleep patterns were evaluated via electroencephalogram recordings and visual assessments.
The findings revealed that sleep-deprived mice exhibited an increased susceptibility to migraine-like pain, whereas migraine-like pain did not interfere with normal sleep cycles. Porreca underscored that sleep deprivation can stem from various factors, including stress. To isolate the impact of sleep on migraines in the study, the research team engaged mice with novel objects to explore, ensuring wakefulness without introducing stressors.
“Mice are compelled to explore novel objects. They just have to go and look,” remarked Porreca. “It reminds me of how teenagers are often sleep deprived because they’re on their phones. Anybody who studies sleep will tell you that from a sleep hygiene point of view, you don’t want any devices in your bedroom where you’re trying to sleep.”
For migraine sufferers, adhering to sleep hygiene practices like minimizing electronic device usage before bedtime could serve as a straightforward method to reduce the frequency of migraine episodes.
The American Migraine Foundation approximates that over 39 million individuals in the United States grapple with migraines, although this figure is likely higher considering the portion of individuals who remain undiagnosed or untreated.
Relevant articles:
– A new study identified a link between poor sleep and migraine attacks that suggests improving sleep health may diminish migraine attacks in people with migraine. The study found that sleep disturbances increased vulnerability to migraine attacks, but the opposite isn’t true.
– Lack of sleep may lead to migraine attacks: Study, Medical Dialogues, Fri, 15 Mar 2024 03:45:05 GMT
– Magnesium for sleep: Benefits and how to take it, Medical News Today, Tue, 01 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT
– Why Do You Get a Headache at the Same Time Every Day?, Verywell Health, Thu, 20 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT