Full access
Clinical & Research News
Published Online: 5 March 2004

Morning Headaches May Signal Depression, Anxiety Disorders

Eve BenderAuthors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric News
Volume 39, Number 5
https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.39.5.0051
People who have a depressive or anxiety disorder are at least twice as likely to wake up with a headache in the morning as those without the disorders, according to a study of more than 18,000 subjects in Europe.
In fact, according to the study’s principal investigator, Maurice Ohayon, M.D., Ph.D., the headaches may be a “signal symptom” of major depression.
Ohayon sought to determine the prevalence of “chronic morning headaches,” or headaches experienced upon awakening, in the general population. He then explored whether the headaches were associated with a number of variables, such as sociodemographic characteristics, sleep disorders, and psychiatric disorders.
Ohayon is director of sleep epidemiology at Stanford University.
In order to gather the data, interviewers called a random sample of 18,980 people over age 15 living in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Portugal, or Spain from 1994 to 1999.
When questioning subjects about sociodemographic characteristics, sleep habits, and mental health, interviewers used Sleep-EVAL software, which Ohayon developed. The software includes diagnostic information derived from the DSM-IV and the International Classification of Sleep Disorders.
Ohayon determined that 7.6 percent of the sample, or 1,442 people, experienced morning headaches.
People with comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders had the highest chance of experiencing morning headaches; they were 3.5 percent more likely to experience the headaches as those without the comorbid psychiatric disorders.
Subjects with major depressive disorder alone were 2.7 times as likely to experience morning headaches as those without depression, and those with anxiety disorder alone were almost twice as likely to suffer from the headaches.
According to Ohayon, the headaches can be a somatic manifestation of depression. He also noted that the relationship goes both ways—if severe enough, the headaches can also cause a person to feel depressed.
He found that other variables associated with chronic morning headaches included insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders, and a high level of stress.
Further research should focus on the nature of the relationship between chronic morning headaches and psychiatric disorders such as major depression, he told Psychiatric News.
An abstract of the article, “Prevalence and Risk Factors of Morning Headaches in the General Population,” is posted online at http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/164/1/97?. ▪
Arch Intern Med 2004 164 97

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric News
Psychiatric News
Volume 39 • Number 5 • March 5, 2004
Pages: 51

History

Published online: 5 March 2004
Published in print: March 5, 2004

Notes

A large-scale study finds a strong association between morning headaches and depressive and anxiety disorders.

Authors

Details

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.

Format
Citation style
Style
Copy to clipboard
Tips for downloading citations

There are no citations for this item

View Options

View options

Get Access

Login options

Already a subscriber? Access your subscription through your login credentials or your institution for full access to this article.

Personal login Institutional Login Open Athens login

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now / Learn More

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5-TR® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Share article link

Share

×

As described within the American Psychiatric Association (APA)'s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences. Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.