Snoring: It’s More Than Just an Annoyance

Disrupted sleep regulation may contribute to headache disorders such as migraine, tension-type cluster, and chronic daily headaches. Across studies, headache sufferers exhibit a two- to eight-fold greater risk for sleep disorders than the general population, and the prevalence of sleep disorders tends to increase as headaches become more frequent and severe. Chronic daily or morning headache patterns, regardless of diagnosis, are particularly suggestive of sleep disorders. Most often implicated are obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, and circadian phase abnormalities. The comorbidity of sleep and headache disorders is believed to have its basis in neuroanatomical connections and neurophysiological mechanisms, involving especially the hypothalamus, serotonin, and melatonin. Treatment literature demonstrates that a significant proportion of sleep apnea-related headaches will improve or resolve with treatment of apnea and preliminary evidence suggests transformed migraine may improve with behavioral insomnia treatment. Clinicians are encouraged to identify and treat sleep disorders that may improve or resolve headache.

Irrespective of diagnosis, chronic daily, morning or “awakening” headache patterns may signal a sleep disorder. Awakening headache occurs in 4% to 6% of the general population, 18% of insomniacs, and 15% to 74% of sleep apneas across studies. The best evidence linking awakening headache with a specific sleep disorder is in the case of obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea headaches may present as awakening headache or as migraine, tension type, cluster or unclassifiable headaches.

• Disruptions in sleep from repeatedly awakening could be the common mechanism which causes headache resulting from both snoring and sleep apnea.
• Headache has been reduced or eliminated in some patients through correction of obstructive sleep apnea, but it is unknown if eliminating snoring not related to sleep apnea would achieve the same results.
• Future studies need to include more detailed assessment of sleep and snoring.

It is important to realize snoring is more than just an annoyance – it points to possibly devastating underlying health issues. We encourage you to get a full diagnosis of the causes of your snoring in order to make sure we’re taking care of the whole problem, not just the snoring. Visit Dr. Markman for a complete diagnosis and treatment plan related to your snoring.