The Link Between Sleep and Migraines – Migraine Treatment in Jacksonville, FL

Migraines and sleep disorders or disturbances are complicated conditions that often overlap in a cycle of one triggering the other. The past twenty years have seen significant research exploring how migraine and sleep disorders influence each other, and there have been published theories on their shared underlying mechanisms, which has helped improve migraine treatment in Jacksonville, FL.

There is also a relationship between sleep quality and migraine frequency—the more migraines someone has, the more sleep disturbances they are likely to have, such as:

  • Interrupted Sleep
  • Early Morning Awakening
  • Snoring
  • Difficulty Falling or Staying Asleep
  • Poor Quality Sleep
  • Reduced Total Sleep Time

Different sleep disorders have different diagnostic criteria, but all of the symptoms are potential signs you may have such a condition. The following two sleep disorders are the top two that those having migraine treatment may also experience.


Insomnia is a condition that occurs when you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, resulting in you feeling extremely tired. Your sleep could also be light and of poor quality, and you may wake up much earlier than you should. Studies indicate that treating insomnia has been shown to improve migraines, so talk to your doctor if you have insomnia symptoms.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea and impacts some who seek migraine treatment. OSA occurs when someone breathes too shallowly or stops breathing periodically while asleep, often resulting in frequent awakening. Treating OSA can potentially decrease the frequency and severity of migraines, so talk to your doctor about having a sleep study if you have OSA symptoms.