A good night's sleep is not only pleasant but essential for a healthy nervous system. In my work as an orofacial physical therapist, I see daily that poor sleep quality is one of the most underestimated causes of migraine attacks.
Many people look for the cause in diet, stress, or hormones, but forget that the quality of the night determines how your brain functions during the day.
Science confirms this repeatedly:
Poor sleep makes your brain more sensitive to pain and stimuli, significantly increasing the risk of migraines.
Why sleep has such a significant impact on migraines:
During sleep, the brain recovers, stimuli are processed, and tension in muscles and nerves decreases. When this process is disturbed, the nervous system becomes overloaded more quickly.
What research shows:
-
Up to 50% of migraine patients experience sleep problems.
-
Sleep deprivation increases the chance of a migraine attack by 200–300%.
-
Disrupted REM sleep is a direct trigger for headaches and migraines.
-
People who sleep irregularly more often suffer from chronic migraines.
What I see daily in my practice is that sleep plays a direct role for a large portion of my migraine and jaw patients. The patterns I see most frequently are:
1. Incorrect sleeping posture.
For many clients, their pillow is literally one of the biggest triggers. A pillow that is too high, too low, or saggy causes:
-
overload of neck muscles
-
pressure on the jaw joint
-
irritation of nerves in the neck area.
2. Nightly teeth grinding or clenching
Sleep deprivation activates the stress system, causing people more often to:
-
grind their teeth
-
clench their teeth
-
wake up with headaches
-
feel pressure around the temples, jaw, and forehead
This can lead to migraine attacks as a result of one of the many triggers.
3. Irregular sleep times
Many of my patients sleep at a different time every day.
This leads to hormonal and neurological dysregulation, precisely what triggers migraines.
How poor sleep triggers migraines:
- Your brain becomes overstimulated more quickly
- People with migraines already have a more sensitive nervous system. Poor sleep exacerbates this.
2. Inflammatory substances increase
With little sleep, substances that more easily activate migraine attacks increase.
3. Natural pain relief works less effectively
The brain is less able to inhibit pain stimuli when you sleep poorly.
What you can do immediately for fewer migraine attacks
✔ 1. Choose a well-supporting pillow
This is one of the biggest game-changers I see in my patients.
A neutral neck position reduces tension in muscles and pressure on the jaw joint.
✔ 2. Keep the bedroom cool and dark
A temperature around 18°C promotes deep sleep.
✔ 3. Establish consistent sleep and wake times
✔ 4. Consciously de-stimulate before bedtime, for example:
-
taking a warm shower
-
a magnesium bath or other means
-
doing calm breathing exercises or body scan exercises
-
no screens in the last hour
✔ 5. Invest in a quality pillow
Natural latex optimally supports the cervical vertebrae and reduces pressure on the neck. Many people suffering from migraines experience fewer symptoms and deeper recovery as a result.
Sources:
-
Riede, J. et al. Neurology – Brainstem dysfunction and migraine triggers.
-
Vecchio, E. et al. Sleep Medicine Reviews – Sleep deprivation & cortical hyperexcitability.
-
American Migraine Foundation – Sleep disorders in migraine.
-
American Headache Society – CGRP pathways in migraine.
-
Cephalalgia Journal – Meta-analysis on sleep disturbances in migraine.
-
Journal of Neurology – Insomnia prevalence in migraine patients.