Too Much Sleep Triggers Migraines

About 12% of the population, or 36 million Americans, suffer from migraine headaches, according to the AHS.

Although most people with migraines have one or two attacks a month or less, about 3% of the population has chronic migraines, which occur at least 15 days each month.

Dodick says understanding the molecular pathways that trigger migraines or cause occasional migraines to become chronic could lead to better drugs to treat or prevent them.

Although getting enough sleep is important for people with migraines, having a sleep routine is even more critical, he says.

Just as too little sleep can trigger migraine headaches, so can too much sleep at one time.

"That's why 'Saturday morning' migraines are so common," he says. "If someone with migraines who gets up during the week at 6 a.m. sleeps in on Saturday, this can cause a migraine."

The same is true for irregular afternoon naps or any disruption in the regular sleep pattern.

"Sleep routine is very important," Dodick says. "People with migraines need to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day. If they get up at 6 a.m. during the week they need to do the same thing on Saturday and Sunday."

SOURCES: American Headache Society 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting, Los Angeles, June 24-27, 2010.

Paul L. Dunham, PhD, Missouri State University, Center for Biomedical & Life Sciences, Springfield, Mo.

David Dodick, MD, president, American Headache Society; professor of neurology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix.

News release, American Headache Society.