Night time headaches

[Bluebird]

I often experience headaches occurring between 1-3 am, awaking me from sleep. Any ideas on causes or cures?

[Cari aka “Rinse & rePeat”]

That sounds like a few possibilities; the stress of darkness cortisol RP talks a lot about, possibly blood sugar issues or digestion or your sleeping environment causing sinus issues. Do you sleep with a light on like RP emphasizes? Do you eat meat and other hard to digest things in the evening? I would suggest to put an air filter in your room, I did. I would wake up with congestion every morning until I got an air filter going.

[Bluebird]

I am unaware of RP’s recommendation re light at night.

[Arielle]

Hi Bluebird,

I agree with Cari. It sounds like blood sugar handling issues, especially if you wake up with it. I used to have this very problem after going low carb after a while (and low cal) . Plenty of cals and carbs fixed it for me. (I had lots of problems to fix, but this one fixed first doing this.) I really had to push through. I implemented what Ray recommended to refill liver glycogen. Coffee with plenty of milk and sugar in the morning with food and eating carbs with protein and sat fat regulary. I have no blood sugar problems anymore (and at my worst I was at a stage where I woke up at night to pass out!it was bad! ) It sounds to me your glycogen storage is insufficient for whatever reason, causing your blood sugar to drop during the night.

[Arielle]

Ray thought darkness is stressful to the system.

[J.R.K]

It sounds to me your glycogen storage is insufficient for whatever reason, causing your blood sugar to drop during the night

I would concur with Arielle’s hypothesis here @Bluebird. Consuming a snack before bed would help to raise your glucose liver stores. But I would also suggest some magnesium cream applied topically to the skin, this will help with deeper sleep as well as combat the stress hormones. A little salt before bedtime will also help to bring on sleep as well. Something in your snack that contains some fat might be beneficial in keeping energy available in the event that glycogen stores run low, while not as ideal to burn as glucose, it could help to maintain the duration of your nights slumber, and oppose cortisol being synthesized due to hypoglycaemia.

[Bluebird]

Thanks for the ideas, I will start with a sack tonight!

[Cari aka “Rinse & rePeat”]

I must have an email or heard it in an interview about leaving a nightlight on, and I have done so ever since. Sometimes when I have a bad night sleep I will realize I forgot to leave my bathroom light on.  Like Arielle said Ray said darkness is stressful…

“Stress, exercise and darkness increase the release of free fatty acids, and so promote the liberation of tryptophan and formation of serotonin.  Increase serum linoleic acid is specifically associated with serotonin-dependent disorders such as migraine.” -Ray Peat

[Bluebird]

No night time headaches in a week with a sugary/honey snack at bedtime.  I take a couple teaspoons of sugar or honey, or a bowl of ice cream right before bed, and  for 7 nights in a row…no headache. Who Knew! I wonder why the doctors I have seen over the past 30 years hadn’t offered such a suggestion.  Thanks for the help!

[Cari aka “Rinse & rePeat”]

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