Migraines can be a debilitating condition and may actually affect sleep. However, when it comes to treating head pain, sleep is actually a very important factor. Consider the following research reported on by the Huffington Post.
University of Mississippi researchers, it was reported, have linked headaches and sleep quality. Especially for sufferers, an 8-hour night of sleep is necessary for keeping the headaches from progressing to the point of disability.
The study involved 300 students who were divided up by those who experienced headaches and those who did not. Students who had to cope with had more frequent headaches and more cases of disability. The study also revealed the following three things:
- More than 1 in 4 students experienced a migraine
- More than 85% of those with migraines also had trouble sleeping
- Only 62% of those without migraines had sleep problems.
The researchers found these results to be consistent with other studies that linked migraines and sleep issues. WebMD also reported on the link between sleep and head pain noting that a good night of sleep could reduce both the frequency and severity of headaches.
Of course, sleeping 8 hours per night does not address the underlying cause of headaches, so more is needed in order to get complete relief.
Migraines and the Upper Cervical Spine
Another link exists between migraines and the alignment of the upper cervical spine. Even a slight misalignment can result in issues with blood and cerebrospinal fluid flow. Thus, proper alignment is vital to keeping headaches at bay. If you want to learn more about how upper cervical chiropractic can help, schedule a consultation today.
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