Migralex Blog

Sleep disorders and headaches

As mentioned in a previous post, lack of sleep is a common trigger of headaches. For many people, lack of sleep comes from lack of time or due to insomnia. However, sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome (RLS), which do not appear to deprive one of sleep, can worsen headaches by affecting the quality of sleep.

These are very common conditions, but are often unrecognized. Snoring and obesity are usually associated with sleep apnea, but even thin people who may not snore loudly can suffer from apnea.
RLS affects more than 10% of the population with 3% suffering from severe symptoms. People who have RLS complain of difficulty falling asleep because of an uncomfortable sensation in their legs, which is temporarily improved by moving their legs or by getting up and walking around. The movement of the legs persists in sleep and interferes with the deep restful stages of sleep leading to fatigue during the day. Many patients do not realize that they have a problem because they’ve had it all of their lives and because often one of their parents also had it. A report in Nature Genetics presented evidence of the genetic nature of RLS. However, not all patients with the symptoms of RLS have true RLS. Iron deficiency, peripheral nerve damage and antidepressant medications can cause symptoms very similar to RLS. Another sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea can at times mimic RILS and a sleep study may be needed to establish the diagnosis. Treatment of RLS usually involves the use of medications such as Requip, Mirapex, which belong to a category of drugs called dopamine agonists (they are also used to treat Parkinson’s disease, but these two conditions are not related). Some epilepsy drugs, including Neurontin and Topamax and particularly opioid analgesics, such as hydrocodone and oxycodone can be effective. Effective treatment of RLS will often improve headaches, fatigue, and a sense of general well-being.

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