Why do I always wake up with a headache?

I get early morning headaches and I have to keep taking pain killers. My pressure is normal and I have no diabetes or malaria. Although I have sinuses, x-rays of the sinuses and neck indicate that I am okay. How can I stop it for good? Kapok Elly

Headache is usually a symptom which requires investigating the cause first and removing the cause so that the headache ceases.

Taking lots of Panadol can lead to liver complications apart from the cause of headache worsening because it has not been addressed.

Of course, if someone has a hangover, is stressed, has had a bad night’s sleep for any reason including a sleep disorder like sleep apnoea, clenching and grinding teeth at night, lack of sleep or sleep walking, they can wake up with a headache.

Early morning headaches may result from a migraine which can be triggered by coolness of morning, dry air in the room (fan), overnight hunger (including folks who miss supper) and a night of red wine (which not only leads to migraine but also causes a hangover which also causes headache).

During sleep and waking, there are changes in substances in the brain that reduce pain called endorphins whose morning levels may become very low leading to headache and other pains in the morning.

This is not helped by an increase in morning adrenaline, which may also contribute to headaches. Early morning headaches in children are usually emotional or given as an excuse to avoid going to school.