In short
Morning headaches are common, affecting about one in 13 people in a large population study. Common causes include poor or disrupted sleep, sleep apnoea, alcohol, caffeine withdrawal, teeth grinding, migraine and using pain relief too often. Headaches that wake you and come with vomiting or vision changes need urgent assessment.
On this page
How common are morning headaches?
A study of nearly 19,000 people in Europe found that about 7.6% regularly woke with a headache. Morning headaches were strongly linked with sleep problems, anxiety and depression.
Common causes
Sleep problems
- Insomnia or short sleep, and irregular sleep times
- Sleep apnoea, where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep. Clues include loud snoring, gasping, a dry mouth, daytime sleepiness and high blood pressure. See insomnia.
- Oversleeping, such as sleeping in on weekends
Substances
- Alcohol the night before
- Caffeine withdrawal overnight if you drink a lot of coffee during the day
- Medication-overuse headache, from using pain relief for headaches on many days a month. These headaches are often present on waking.
Headache conditions
- Migraine, which often starts in the early morning
- Cluster headache, which often wakes people at the same time each night. See cluster headache.
- Tension-type headache
Other causes
- Teeth grinding or jaw clenching at night, with jaw ache and tired jaw muscles
- Neck strain from sleeping position or pillow
- Low mood and anxiety
Headaches taking whole days away?
Talk it through with an Australian doctor online. No referral needed.
What helps
- Keep regular sleep and wake times
- Cut back on alcohol, especially in the evening
- Keep caffeine moderate and consistent
- Limit pain relief for headache to no more than a couple of days a week
- Ask a dentist about a mouthguard if you grind your teeth
- Get checked for sleep apnoea if you snore loudly or are sleepy during the day
When to get urgent help
See a doctor urgently for a new headache that wakes you from sleep and is worse lying down or with coughing or straining, especially with vomiting, vision changes, confusion or weakness. Call 000 for a sudden severe headache.
When to see a GP
See a GP if you often wake with headaches. A GP can look at sleep, medicines and other causes, and arrange a sleep study if needed.
Next step: talk to a doctor
Answer a few quick questions and you’ll get an email about your eligibility. A consultation doesn’t guarantee any particular treatment.
References
- Ohayon MM. Prevalence and risk factors of morning headaches in the general population. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164(1):97-102.
- Diener HC, Dodick D, Evers S, et al. Pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of medication overuse headache. Lancet Neurol. 2019;18(9):891-902.
- . Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Cephalalgia. 2018;38(1):1-211.
- healthdirect. Obstructive sleep apnoea.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t replace a consultation with a doctor who knows your history. In an emergency, call 000.