Headaches often come on suddenly and unexpectedly. Many people also experience it when they get up in the morning. Read here what you should do if you have a morning headache.

A dull pressure or a painful stab – a headache can ruin even the best mood in seconds. Everyone affected knows that the symptoms are quite unpleasant at any time of the day. However, the pain becomes the final enemy especially when you are greeted by it when you wake up.

Headaches can occur in different forms and are usually triggered by a specific trigger – there are over 200 types of the widespread disease and none should be underestimated.

Even too little fluid per day or a few hours of too little sleep can trigger the pain.

But sometimes there is a deeper reason behind it. It is important to identify the cause so that it can be treated properly and prevented in the future.

In fact, there can be many different reasons why you start the day with a headache.

This type of headache is one of the most common types – and is also typical in the morning. During this time of day – especially between 4 and 9 a.m. – the body tends to produce fewer endorphins and enkephalins. These work as natural pain relievers in the body, explains Jennifer Kriegler, a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic Headache and Pain Center.

In addition, an increased amount of adrenaline is released in the early morning hours. This increases blood pressure, which can then trigger migraines.

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is not to be trifled with – it causes those affected to repeatedly stop breathing while sleeping.

The lack of oxygen and increased pressure overnight can trigger headaches.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to find out for yourself whether you have this disease. Despite supposedly getting a lot of sleep, those affected often do not feel recovered – and suffer from headaches in the morning.

Grinding your teeth can cause tension in the jaw joints, which connect the lower jaw to the skull in front of the ear.

This habit often goes unnoticed, even though it can have many negative health effects. For example, it can lead to changes in the positioning of the jaw.

All of this leads to tension that can trigger headaches.

If you suspect that morning headaches are due to teeth grinding, or if your dentist has already diagnosed it, it’s time to talk to them about the next steps – a bite guard or a splint can help.

In fact, hard drinks the day before could trigger your headache in the morning.

There are compounds in alcohol that interact negatively with neurotransmitters in the brain and can trigger headaches or even migraines in at-risk people, says women’s health expert Jennifer Wider.

Alcohol is a so-called diuretic – it makes you have to go to the toilet more often.

Many people wake up dehydrated after drinking, which can worsen hangover headaches or encourage the symptoms to develop.

If it is found that certain types of alcohol cause more headaches than others, it is best to avoid them the next time you drink – drinking enough water before bed can also work wonders.

In rare cases, there is a chance that there is something potentially serious behind the headache – increased pressure could indicate a brain tumor.

People with brain tumors often wake up early with a headache because cerebrospinal fluid pressure is highest early in the morning, says Dr. Kreigler.

She added: “If the tumor causes swelling, this will stretch the brain covering and cause headaches.”

But this is really rare and not the most likely cause. If a brain tumor is actually causing the symptoms, you would probably also notice symptoms such as vision or balance problems, feelings of dizziness and changes in your own mental state.

Waking up with a headache occasionally is not a cause for concern. But if it happens regularly, you should definitely get checked out by a doctor to find out where the problem is coming from and how you can prevent it in the future.

In addition, you should not always rely directly on painkillers, but first check whether you have drunk, eaten and slept enough.

If it turns out that migraines are the culprit, a doctor will also support you with appropriate therapy.

Important note: The information in this article contains general advice only. To clarify a health problem, we recommend visiting trained and recognized doctors.

The original for this article “Happy headache in the morning? There are five reasons why” comes from FitForFun.