Article taken from https://www.migraineagain.com/

A healthy sleep pattern is crucial for a healthy life - especially with Migraine. Lack of sleep or poor sleep quality is one of the most common migraine triggers, and waking up with a migraine is a huge concern for those of us with Migraine. Luckily, taking steps to improve your sleep is a proven way to also improve your migraines.

Like jumping from a high dive, sleep can be one of those things that gets more difficult the more you think about it. The trick to healthy sleep, therefore, lies in taking steps before you find yourself kept up at night with pain or racing thoughts. Taking steps towards better sleep will bring you more energy and will, hopefully, improve your migraines.

Better sleep hygiene requires just a little bit of preparation for a big reward: a healthier, happier you.

12 Things You Need to Know about Better Sleep to Improve Your Migraines

1- Sleeping with a migraine is tough but doable. Sometimes a nice nap or a deep night's sleep is exactly what your body needs to fight a migraine attack. The problem is, falling asleep and staying asleep when your head is pounding, the room is spinning, and your stomach is churning is really hard. Don't miss these eight strategies for restful sleep with a migraine attack - Restless Night? How to Sleep with a Migraine.

2- Watch out for sleep-sabotaging activities. If you're eating protein right before bed or exercising late in the day, you could be hurting your sleep hygiene. Eliminate insomnia by looking out for these 9 Things That May Be Sabotaging Your Sleep.

3- Not convinced improving your sleep with improve your migraines? Explore the Migraine and sleep connection further with this research study that links a sleep gene to Migraine. This fascinating study explores the link between Migraine and the mutation of a gene that controls our circadian rhythm. Learn more (NPR) - A Sleep Gene Has A Surprising Role In Migraines.

4- Get better sleep with natural sleep hacks. You've tried the usual hot bath or cup of tea before bed, but there are valuable, lesser-known tricks for getting to sleep without medication. Discover the best dose of melatonin for sleep and other tips.

5- Fall asleep in no time by turning off the TV and laptop before bed. The light from our screens tricks our brains into thinking it's daytime - time to be awake. Looking at screens before bed can throw your circadian rhythm through a loop, keeping you up at night. Learn how to keep your circadian rhythm in check: Wide Awake? How Too Much Light at Night Interferes with Your Sleep.

6- Find relief from insomnia, migraines, and depression with one powerful treatment. Insomnia, Migraine, and depression are all co-morbid, meaning they often occur together. A 2015 study found that a common treatment for insomnia, called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, also brings relief from depression and migraines.

7- Bring out the big guns for fighting insomnia - without leaving your house. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia is one of the most effective tools we know about for easing insomnia for good. Thanks to researchers at UVA, you can treat insomnia and improve your sleep online. Researchers developed an online tool for CBT-I that banishes insomnia in just six weeks.

8- Avoid the dreaded morning migraine. Nothing puts a wrench in your day like waking up with a migraine. If you frequently feel a migraine attack coming on before you open your eyes in the morning, don't miss: Morning Migraine Again? 7 Tips to Wake Pain-Free.

9- Sleep like a baby in the perfect temperature. Unlike pain or a racing mind, the temperature of the environment around you while you sleep is pretty easy to control. It turns out, temperature is really important for getting a full, restful night sleep. Use some of these simple tips for achieving the perfect temperature for a perfect night's sleep.

10- Discover why you can't sleep and what to do about it. If lack of sleep is affecting your health and you've tried the usual tricks for sleep without luck, maybe it's time to approach insomnia from a different angle. This infographic outlines easy and productive steps you can take to start sleeping better tonight: Why You Can't Sleep and What To Do About It.

11- Talk to a doc about sleep apnea if you snore or frequently wake with a headache. A 2013 Spanish study found that migraines improved drastically in people who treated their sleep apnea with a CPAP machine. If you snore or frequently wake up with a migraine or headache, you could have sleep apnea without even knowing it. Learn more, including how to get relief: Snore A Bit? CPAP Treatment Helps Sleep Apnea and Migraines.

12- Learn why poor sleep = grumpiness. Most of us don't get enough sleep, and it affects our brains and mood. Your brain has a harder time learning and storing information when you don't sleep enough. Lack of sleep also makes you emotional by causing parts of your brain to overreact to negative emotions. Discover more on the science of sleep and sleep loss: How a Lack of Sleep Affects the Brain - and Your Personality.

Enjoy Refreshing Sleep Tonight

Not getting enough sleep messes with your whole day, and those days add up if you have frequent insomnia. Not only does lack of sleep or poor sleep trigger migraines, but it affects your brain's ability to process information and emotions.

Restful sleep will help you feel better in many different ways, and may even improve your migraines. Who couldn't use fewer migraines, more energy, and calmer emotions? You owe it to yourself to take steps towards better sleep. You may be surprised how easy it is - and how good it feels - to start your day well-rested.