Sleep Symptoms in Migraine

Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2024 Aug;24(8):245-254. doi: 10.1007/s11910-024-01346-x. Epub 2024 Jun 12.

Abstract

Purpose of review: To review replicated and highlight novel studies of sleep in children and adults with episodic and chronic migraine.

Recent findings: Attack-related sleep symptoms are most common in the prodrome and may represent early activation of the hypothalamus rather than migraine triggers. Interictally, patients with migraine report poor sleep quality and high rates of insomnia symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in adults and adolescents with chronic migraine and comorbid insomnia results in significant improvement on their headache burden. Thus far, objective studies report that migraine per se is a not associated with sleep apnea. At the present time, there is minimal evidence that migraine is under circadian influence. The current body of evidence suggests that the insomnia symptoms and poor sleep quality commonly reported by patients with migraine are not attack-related but occur interictally and are a marker of worsening disease. The development of clinical guidelines to approach sleep symptoms and expansion of CBT-I trials in those with episodic migraine would be clinically valuable.

Keywords: Insomnia; Migraine; Sleep Quality; Sleep Symptoms.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / methods
  • Humans
  • Migraine Disorders* / complications
  • Migraine Disorders* / physiopathology
  • Migraine Disorders* / therapy
  • Sleep / physiology
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / etiology
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / physiopathology
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / therapy
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / etiology
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / physiopathology
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / therapy