Are Weekend Migraines Real?

After a long week of work and high stress levels, we look forward to the weekends only to wake up and be greeted by a migraine on Saturday morning! How unfair ?. Are weekend headaches really a thing?

Yes, they’re real.

Over the years, we’ve conducted many user interviews where Migraine Buddy users said that they have specifically experienced weekend headaches. You are not alone! 

Looking into research, we see that symptoms may be the same but here’s what we learned that can trigger a weekend headache.

What can be causing these types of headaches or migraines? 

Stress levels changing

As your level of tension drops, your stress hormones drop and this change can cause your neurotransmitters to be rapidly released. The physicality is that impulses are sent out to contract and then dilate blood vessels which can trigger a migraine.

Sleeping in 

Getting too much sleep can also be a trigger since we tend to try and ‘catch up’ on weekends.  Following a regular wake-up time, similar to weekdays, can avoid this inconsistency for the body.

Keeping things consistent is key. 

Caffeine

Weekend sleep-ins also mean a change in the timing of when you have your first cup of coffee. Caffeine withdrawal can lead to dilation in blood vessels and result in the onset of a migraine. 

If you do get weekend headaches or migraines, try to keep your routine as consistent as possible so that your body knows what to expect!