Why do we get a headache when we sleep in? A neurologist’s response
May 6, 2024
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Are your weekend lie-ins causing you headaches that you would happily do without? In a recent video, a neurologist revealed the reasons for this phenomenon as well as tips for remedying it.
While the alarm goes off all week, the weekend is often a good time to sleep a little more, and even do some exercise. lie-ins for some people. However, it is quite common to suffer from headaches after waking up late. Pain, tingling, shooting sensations felt in the skull… Headache, which is also called headache, corresponds to any painful complaint centered on the cranial region. The causes of headaches are varied, and they are most often benign. There are two main ones: tension headache and migraine.
In a recent video posted to Instagram, medical doctor and neurologist Olivier Sillam, also known as @drolivier_sillam on social media, spoke about the causes of a headache after a lie-in.
Lazy mornings: why can they cause headaches?
In his video, the neurologist mentions two main reasons for headache felt during a lie-in. First of all, this one explains“that by waking up later, this modifies our biological rhythm”. This modification of the biological rhythm can then, according to him, lead to a delay in neurotransmitters such as serotonin. As a reminder, neurotransmitters are organic compounds that ensure the transmission of information from one nerve cell to another. This can then result in tension headaches, or even a migraine attack in people who are prone to them. The second reason mentioned by the neurologist is that of withdrawal. In fact, the expert explains that the body is accustomed during the week to drinking Coffee, water, and even to consume food from 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. However, when we sleep in on the weekend and get up at 10 a.m., our body feels a lack. “Lack of caffeine can in particular be the cause of a migraine attack when there is withdrawal”, declares the expert.
How to avoid headaches when you sleep in?
When headaches are present every weekend, and they are very debilitating, the specialist advises changing certain daily habits. He explains in his video that it is essential to have “a certain regularity in your sleep schedule to avoid suffering from migraines”. In addition, he advises avoiding drinking too much concentrated coffee in the morning from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. for example, in order to reduce the withdrawal on weekends.
