When I get a lack of sleep (or especially multiple nights of bad sleep), I often have a splitting headache the next day that makes me unfunctional and worsens until I get more sleep. Other people I’m with have the exact same sleeping routines and never get any headaches, and can still function despite being tired. What’s wrong with me?
Nothing is wrong with you in that getting a headache due to lack of sleep is pretty common. Happens to me sometimes. How easily and from which things you get headaches really depends on the individual. But you should try pain meds if you haven’t already. They could help you be functional for the rest of the day.
To be honest, I think when it happens it’s too painful for any pain meds to work unless they were super strong like opiates, and even then. Basic pain meds do nothing. Sleep really is the only fix I’ve discovered… also it’s always localised on the right side of my head, never the left.
You could always see a doctor about it, such pain is a valid reason. And of course, even without headache, it’s good for your health to maintain a good sleep schedule
Hey! For context: I have migraines sometimes, less and less as I age it appears (almost middle aged now).
Just because ‘basic’ pain medication does not help you, it doesn’t mean that none will. Paracetamol will do nothing for my migraines, but ibuprofen helps a ton. I even have liquid caps now so it works faster, 10/15minutes as opposed to 30/50 minutes.
When I spoke to my doctor after I had an episode that left me crying in the shower ( and punched through the ibuprofen like I had taken pain-enhancers somehow) about other pain medication, he mentioned the family of triptans. The triptan he prescribed (sumatriptan?? I forgot the exact name) me makes me a bit sedated ( yellow sticker meds in EU, can drive but extra caution), but at least it helps. Anything to lighten the load :-) . Hope this helps you find your path away from the pain.
I still have some triptans, a couple different ones in the medicine cabinet. I can go a year without thinking i might need one. They make me feel like my brain is starved for oxygen or something like that.
They do work, but if hydration, tylenol, or ibuprofen will help I’d rather use them.