What Causes Nocturnal Headaches?

Nocturnal headaches affect sleep and the ability to get restorative rest, which helps to wake up full of energy and optimism.

This has happened to all of us at some point. We have all opened our eyes to a new day head by bike. Then it might feel as if there is a dark cloud above our heads and we would not be able to face the day ahead.

Nocturnal headaches are different from a normal headache

First, it is important to distinguish nocturnal headaches from traditional headaches. Sometimes you go to sleep so that the headache has already started and it gets worse at night. But it started some time before going to bed, so it’s not a nocturnal headache.

Nocturnal headaches are not just one-offs: they are a very common ailment and affect more people than you might think.

Today we would like to tell you what causes nocturnal headaches.

Nocturnal headaches 5 ways to distinguish them

Headaches are caused by many different reasons. But if the pain suddenly comes in the middle of the night, disturbing sleep, there are other factors involved that should be considered.

In addition, if the headache occurs several nights in a row, you should always see a doctor.

Let’s see what nocturnal headaches can cause.

1. Sleep headache

Sleep headaches are not very well known. They may occur at night or even during naps.

Generally, they occur during the REM sleep phase. The pain is mild but sharp, and usually lasts from 15 minutes to an hour or two.

Its causes are not fully understood, but it is known to occur during this particular stage of sleep. Thus, it is believed that sleep headache may be associated with a sudden drop in melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.

Sleep headaches usually occur in people over 50 years of age.

2. Inflammatory foods

This is another thing that is not fully understood. Certain foods, when eaten in excess, cause changes in the body.

Often foods high in monosodium glutamate cause headaches in the middle of the night if eaten late in the day, such as at dinner.

This artificial additive is not only unhealthy but also addictive. It gives a strong flavor to many of the foods we eat every day, such as sauces, creams, broths and a wide variety of ready meals.

Cheeses and other dairy products also cause inflammation and nocturnal headaches.

This means that you should be careful what you eat for dinner. Carefully choose the foods you enjoy near bedtime.

3. Headache associated with sinuses

Headache related to the buccal cavities also occurs at night. This type of pain is caused, as the name implies, by sinusitis.

The pain in the buccal cavity area is very severe. Sensitivity can also occur in the ears and up to the head.

Often people think that the pain is some form of migraine or vascular pain, not sinusitis. This ailment usually gets worse at night if the air is very dry. Humidifiers can be a great help in these cases.

4. Explosive head syndrome

While this sounds weird, it’s a real hassle. Explosive head syndrome was described by the end of the 19th century, and yet much is still known about its cause.

Such a disorder belongs to the “parasomnias,” that is, sleep disorders.

• It is a severe headache that occurs just when a person is falling asleep.
• Women usually get this kind of headache more than men.
• Some people may experience it only once in their lives, while others may experience it for months at a time.
• However, in all registered cases, they are left out on their own.
• Data obtained so far suggest that the problem may be related to damage to one bone in the ear or even a disorder of nerve cell function at the time of falling asleep.

5. Serial headache

Serial headache is a type of migraine that occurs more in men than women.

• They appear two or three hours after falling asleep.

• The pain is very severe and lasts for a relatively short time, from 15 minutes to half an hour.
• The pain is located on one side of the head, behind the eye, and may extend to the temples or neck.
• Other symptoms associated with pain include redness and bleeding of the eye and nasal congestion.

Serial headaches are sometimes chronic.

Finally: if you have had any of these ailments for several days in the tube, do not hesitate to go to the doctor.