If you have headaches upon waking up, it may be caused by a sleep disorder—and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may help. At the TMS Institute of Arizona, one of our specialties is treating headaches with this completely non-invasive, no-downtime treatment. The same brain regions and chemical messengers that impact sleep also inform headaches and moods. This means that lack of sleep, whether from insomnia, sleep apnea, or some other cause, increases the odds of experiencing a headache or mood change.
For instance, those who get migraines also often experience insomnia—and have higher rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns compared to others. There is a myriad of co-morbidities associated with sleep disorders and mental health disorders, and they often trigger or exacerbate one another. TMS can be an effective tool in treating sleep disorders, mood disorders, mental health disorders, and headaches. It is important to take a holistic approach to any treatment plan and choose an option that is safe and effective. Migraines and mental health are close bedmates—make sure you’re considering a management plan that will work for you.
The Relationship Between Migraines and Mental Health
Migraines are a type of headache that is closely associated with depression and anxiety. Did you know that people who get migraines are five times more likely to have or develop depression? This makes sense considering the debilitating and chronic nature of migraines. When you’re routinely in so much pain and unable to live your life, you’re going to feel frustrated and down. Around 20 percent of people who struggle with episodic migraines (14 or less days per month) also have depression. However, that percentage goes up with every additional day there is a migraine. Likewise, circa 20 percent of people with episodic migraines also have anxiety—whereas up to half of people with chronic migraines have this mental health condition.
Many patients wonder if migraines cause anxiety, if depression causes migraines, or ultimately which comes first. Nobody is certain exactly what the answer is. Some patients report that depression or anxiety starts well after they first experience migraines. Others have been living with a diagnosed mental health condition for years before their first migraine. This shows us that mental health conditions are not inherently the result of a migraine condition (but can be). There is also a genetic component to many mental health conditions and migraines.
Perhaps there is a genetic reason for why a person experiences a migraine or mental health condition first, but there’s also the fact that migraines and depression are informed by similar brain biochemicals that makes someone predisposed to have one condition or the other.
Symptoms and Migraines
Everyone experiences anxiety and depression a little differently, but common symptoms of anxiety complement migraine symptoms. This includes fear, worry, and irritability. If you’re worried about your next migraine attack, you might feel out of control and frustrated, which will feed the anxiety. This excessive fear and worry can also lead to feelings of depression. Common depression symptoms include not enjoying things you like, sleep changes, fatigue, feeling sad and hopeless, and shifts in eating habits. All of these are very similar to the migraine symptom of insomnia and appetite loss. There is also an increased risk of suicide with both depression and anxiety.
For many years, the go-to treatment for sleep issues, depression, anxiety, and migraines was medication. This can be helpful for many patients, but what if there was an alternative—one that also works well with medications? Whether you are looking to decrease medication dependency or find a completely different option for treating your condition(s), TMS may be for you. Make sure to discuss any changes to medications with your prescribing doctor if that is a route you are interested in pursuing.
TMS works by applying soft pulses (stimulation) to specific areas of the brain. This approach amps up the brains ability to rewire itself. Sessions are very brief, requiring just a few minutes, and there is no downtime. The exact number of sessions you will need will depend on the type of TMS you and your provider choose. To learn more, contact the TMS Institute today by calling the office or completing the online contact form.
