Home > Blogs > Reasons of headache in morning

Reasons of Headache in Morning: When to Seek Help

Published on

JUN 02

2025

About the Author

Table of contents

1. Introduction

2. Reasons of Headache in Morning

3. When to Seek Help and Free Yourself from the Reasons of Headache in Morning?

4. Conclusion

Introduction

Imagine waking up with a headache every morning. Isn’t it disturbing? Despite a good sleep at night, a severe head pain hinders the calmness of the morning. Proper functioning and performing numerous tasks become a struggle, with symptoms management overshadowing your daily activities. Although head ache is a common concern, extreme headaches needs diagnosis and treatment. A morning headache may be a symptom of an underlying health concern that needs immediate attention. But what are the reasons of headache in morning that create so many problems? If you are facing such an issue, read this comprehensive guide to learn more about its causes and prevention.

Reasons of Headache in Morning

Is there any rhyme or reason why you experience morning headaches? Or is it some pointless joke or prank being played on you? Many reasons make you think like that, and you feel like the pain is about to explode your head right after waking up. So, why headache in morning? Let’s find out:

Sleep Disorders and Disruptions

Whether it’s insomnia or oversleeping, the most common reason for early morning headache is sleep disorder and sleep disruption. Variations in sleep patterns, like insufficient, irregular or poor quality sleep, can contribute to head pain after waking up. Health conditions such as sleep apnea lead to deprivation of oxygen in the upper airway causing headaches. Furthermore, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, or snoring can disturb sleep and give rise to headache.

Teeth Grinding

Also known as bruxism, teeth grinding or clenching can create muscle tension in the jaw and head, resulting in morning headaches. Another reason for early morning headache is if you grind or clench your teeth in your sleep. It is a condition in which you unconsciously grind your teeth and clench your jaw when you are asleep. It causes stress on your head and face and exerts pressure, contributing to severe head pain or migraine when you wake up the next morning.

Hormonal Fluctuations

Hormonal changes, especially in females, can cause headaches. Variations in estrogen levels during menstruation or menopause can result in head pain after waking up. Thus, if you experience morning headaches, tracking your menstrual cycle is essential, and you should discuss possible hormonal treatment options with your doctor.

Dehydration

Dehydration plays an important role in triggering early-morning head pain. When you are asleep, your body loses water due to sweat and respiration, resulting in dehydration by morning. When the body does not have good hydration, blood vessels in the brain constrict, causing headaches. Therefore, ensure proper hydration and fluid intake throughout the day and drink a glass of water before going to bed to prevent dehydration as the reason for early morning headache.

Exploding Head Syndrome

Yes, you heard right! There is indeed a condition called exploding head syndrome. However, it is different from what it sounds. It is a sleep disorder that makes you hear an imaginary crashing or exploding sound in the hazy moments between waking up and sleeping. Even though it is often painless, sometimes it causes severe head pain and makes you wonder why headache in morning is a recurring problem.

Dietary Triggers and Environmental Factors

Specific foods and drinks such as processed meat, alcohol, aged cheeses, and artificial sweeteners can contribute to early-morning headaches. In addition to dietary triggers, fluctuations in seasons, weather, and temperatures, barometric pressure, or exposure to allergens early in the morning can contribute to head pain in sensitive people.

Hangover

Hangovers are one of the main reasons of headache in morning if you have the habit of drinking. Based on your alcohol sensitivity, even one drink a night before can result in a nasty headache the next morning. This is especially when you have developed a habit of binge-drinking right before sleeping at night. As a result, you will likely experience a headache right after waking up the following day. Moreover, alcoholic drinks or beverages dehydrate your body excessively, and the lack of proper hydration can trigger head pain the next day, and you may wonder why headache in morning.

When to Seek Help and Free Yourself from the Reasons of Headache in Morning?

Suffering from a headache in the morning? Consult a neuromuscular orthodontist if your headache is because of the following symptoms:

Intense head pain
Head pain with fever, vomiting, or nausea
Head pain that makes regular activities in the morning a tricky challenge
Head pain that you cannot combat with the help of over-the-counter medications
New onset of head pain, especially if you are over 50 years of age
Migraines, lack of sleep, TMD, sleep apnea, food sensitivity, specific medications, teeth grinding and clenching, etc.

Remedies to Relieve Yourself from the Reasons of Headache in Morning

Treating morning head pain includes a multi-disciplinary approach that addresses the hidden roots and relives you from headaches. Some ways to prevent early-morning head pain are as follows:

Hydration: Drink sufficient water throughout the day and drink a glass of water before going to bed at night.
Over-the-Counter Medications: Pain-relief medicines can reduce morning headaches. However, following the dosage is essential, and seek guidance from a neuromuscular orthodontist if the head pain becomes severe.
Guards for Bruxism: Use a mouth guard, occlusal splint, or other oral appliances to prevent your teeth from grinding and clenching during sleep. This will help reduce muscle stress on the jaw and head, diminishing morning headaches.
Sleep Hygiene: Maintaining proper sleep habits can eliminate morning head pain. It includes creating a daily sleep schedule, a comfortable atmosphere, avoiding caffeinated and alcoholic drinks, and embracing relaxation techniques before sleep. You can decrease your head pain by prioritising quality sleep.
Daily Exercise: Physical activities like walking, jogging, running, cycling, or swimming can enhance your overall health and diminish the frequency of head pain.
Relaxation Techniques: Practicing regular relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and muscle relaxation relaxes the body and eases the tension resulting in morning head pain.
Seek Medical Assistance: Consult a neuromuscular dentist to curb the reasons of headache in morning for tailored treatment suggestions to efficiently manage morning head pain.
Sleep Appliances are a ,must if the cause a is Airway related Bruxism.

Conclusion

Headache in the morning makes it challenging for you to begin your day. They must be cured as per their course. You can manage your headache with lifestyle changes and good sleep based on the reasons. By familiarising yourself with the causes, opting for effective treatments, and changing certain lifestyle habits, you can overcome and prevent the reasons of headache in morning. Prioritise sleep, keep yourself hydrated, manage stress, and seek medical assistance. With the right approach, you can take charge of your mornings and begin every day free of headaches. But sometimes, home remedies are insufficient. Morning headaches can be the reasons behind specific health conditions for which medical help is needed.

The Right Bite Sleep and TMJ Pain Care houses the best neuromuscular orthodontists who will help you fix any underlying health conditions causing severe early-morning headaches. For expert consultations on treating the most complex of issues, contact our experts and schedule your appointment today!

To treat the most complex of TMJ problems, contact us at TMJ India and get your appointment with our TMJ experts today!

Our other blogs

Overjet vs Overbite: Which One Do You Have and How to Fix It?

Often, you seek teeth braces as a solution to cure dental problems. But there are situations when such issues result from your bites or how

What Causes Crooked Teeth Smile and How to Address It

Are you longing for a beautiful smile to light up the room, but worried about having a crooked smile? Having crooked teeth is a common

Understanding Occlusal Splints for TMJ and How They Help with Jaw Pain

Does chewing or speaking feels like a challenge? Do jaw spasms and pain cause discomfort? The temporomandibular joint links your jaw and your skull, and