Are Morning Headaches and Snoring Connected?

By: James London-DeVasher

If you're very tired when you first wake up, there could be many reasons. For example, persons with hypoglycemia or other blood sugar problems may need some protein to get their blood sugar back to normal after having not eaten for eight or more hours. Or you may be a night person who just doesn't enjoy the mornings. Many times we wake up dehydrated and a big glass of water or cup of coffee can get us back to normal very quickly.

But for many, it's more than just being tired. Many people experience frequent severe morning headaches. Often snoring to blame. But why the connection between the two?

Why does snoring cause morning headaches?

One of the reasons that morning headaches and snoring are connected is that the person snoring has sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a very dangerous condition wherein someone actually stops breathing for a few moments because of restricted airflow. They then wake up just long enough for the body to force itself to start breathing again and are typically not awake long enough to even know that their sleep has been interrupted. When caused by sleep apnea the connection between morning headaches and snoring is because the brain is literally starved of needed oxygen over and over again throughout the night. If left unchecked this condition can actually cause slight brain damage so it's no wonder that a person would get morning headaches from this! Sleep apnea is very common in persons who are overweight as this excess body fat puts undue pressure on the neck and cuts off the airway.

Most persons who have it do not even know that they have sleep apnea. Considering how dangerous it is, if you have morning headaches and snoring problems, and especially if you are overweight, you may want to talk to your doctor immediately about medical intervention or treatment options.

Other Causes

Another reason that morning headaches and snoring are connected is because if a person snores very loudly or deeply, they are actually hurting their own head. That constant vibration of the dry tissue of the throat can cause damage to the entire back of the neck and head giving a person a headache.

And of course chronic sleeplessness is another cause for morning headaches and snoring is a big cause of sleeplessness. If you're trying to sleep next to someone that is a chronic snorer, you are probably very sleep deprived, whether you know it or not. Fatigue, irritability, restlessness, inability to concentrate, and falling asleep at inappropriate times are other symptoms of insomnia much like morning headaches. And snoring is a leading interrupter of sleep, not just for the snorer, but for those next to him or her.

If you're experiencing constant morning headaches, you should consult with your doctor. There may be other health concerns and issues that are causing them of course, but morning headaches and snoring are very common. These headaches can be part of other serious health problems that you may be having, or may be at risk of having, if you do not address your snoring issues immediately.

Morning Headaches can be caused by many things from the simple and easily correctable -- like dehydration or hunger -- to the serious and potentially dangerous. Find out if you should be worried if you are having frequent morning headaches.