Is it good to take a nap if I have a headache?
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Dr. Michael Breus answered:It’s no surprise that one of the ways to treat a headache is to lie down and take a nap (assuming, of course, you have the luxury of napping in the middle of your day). But napping can also conflict with your nighttime sleep if it’s not planned carefully. It also appears to incite a vicious cycle: 59 percent of those in a study with tension-type headaches complained of sleep problems as a trigger of those headaches.
It’s the classic catch-22. Sleep to dull headache. Sleep to trigger headache.
It’s no surprise that one of the ways to treat a headache is to lie down and take a nap (assuming, of course, you have the luxury of napping in the middle of your day). But napping can also conflict with your nighttime sleep if it’s not... More -
Dr. Steven Meyers of NorthShore University HealthSystem answered:Sleep can be a very effective treatment for a headache. If you have the option of taking a nap, do so.Sleep can be a very effective treatment for a headache. If you have the option of taking a nap, do so. More -
Dr. Mark Green of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:Sleep, particularly in child, common terminates migraines and tension-type headache. This is less predictable in adults but always worthwhile to add to medical treatment if sleep is feasible.
Sleep, particularly in child, common terminates migraines and tension-type headache. This is less predictable in adults but always worthwhile to add to medical treatment if sleep is feasible. More
