What should you know about hypnic headache?

Episodes occur only during sleep or mainly at night, often at a similar time. Pain may affect both sides or one side of the head and can be mild to severe. Nausea, light sensitivity or sound sensitivity may occur, but the key feature is repeated awakening from sleep. A clinician must rule out other causes before calling it hypnic headache.

Night-time pain can also accompany dehydration, infection, nasal inflammation or sleep disruption. Allergic Rhinitis, Chronic Sinusitis, a Common Cold and COVID-19 may cause pressure or headache with nasal or systemic symptoms. Heat Exhaustion and Dengue Fever require particular attention after relevant exposure or travel.

Keep a headache diary recording bedtime, waking time, pain location and quality, associated symptoms, medicines, caffeine, fluids and possible triggers. Book a medical appointment if the pattern is recurring or interrupts sleep. Bring a list of medicines and mention snoring, breathing pauses, recent illness, travel, heat exposure and changes in caffeine use.

Do not repeatedly self-medicate without advice, because frequent painkiller use can sustain headaches. A clinician may recommend examination or further assessment and will choose treatment after considering age, health conditions and other headache patterns.

Seek emergency care for a sudden, explosive headache, new weakness, confusion, fainting, seizure, stiff neck with fever, persistent vomiting, vision loss or a headache after a significant head injury. Prompt review is needed for a first severe night-time headache, progressive worsening, pregnancy, immune suppression or a new headache later in life.

Ask whether your timing and symptoms fit hypnic headache, whether an examination or scan is needed, and which warning signs should change your plan. Discuss safe treatment options, caffeine use, sleep quality and whether another condition could be contributing.