Sleep and Headache

Abstract

The interaction between sleep and headache or migraine is powerful and an elevated comorbidity between these 2 disorders has been reported in either adults or children. This comobidity is linked to common neurophysiological and neuroanatomical substrates that are genetically based strongly. The first reports on this relationship were related to the prevalence of parasomnias and sleep-disordered breathing in headache but recent research has expanded the comorbidity to several other sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movements during sleep, and narcolepsy. The assessment of children with headache should always include an accurate anamnesis for the presence of sleep problems either in the child or in the relatives; no correct approach for treating children and adolescents is possible without an integrated method of evaluation and management.