Migraine Patterns - Time of the Day

Research Article by Lyle Henry

This is the first in a series of articles on migraine patterns that will explore the occurrences of migraines based on the time of day, day of the month, and age of the person. In this first article we will address the time of day.

Time of the Day

"What time of the day do your migraines start?" is one of the questions we ask someone who gets migraines. It is one of the most important questions in helping to determine what is happening inside the body to invoke a migraine.

A very common answer is "during the night;" however, when we ask for the exact time, most reply, "Around 4 AM." The other two most frequent replies as to when a person gets a migraine are "Shortly after getting up in the morning" (full-blown by noon) and "Sometime in the late afternoon."

These time patterns actually coincide with hormone changes in the body. When we look at which hormones fluctuate around these times, we find the hormone melatonin, from the pineal gland, and the hormone cortisol, from the adrenal gland.

The body begins producing melatonin (the hormone that helps us sleep) generally around 4 PM and it stops producing around 4 AM. Even though we see that this corresponds to times of migraines, we cannot jump to the conclusion that this hormone is a cause of migraines; rather, we must look at the actions of this hormone to see their effect on migraines.

The level of melatonin in the body affects how other hormones function, namely the two hormones that we are most interested in when researching the cause of migraines: Lutenizing Hormone (LH) and Folic Stimulating Hormone (FSH) (in both male and female bodies). These are hormones that have receptors on the cells that contain the known gene for migraines. Since we already know that fluctuations in the level of these hormones can invoke monthly menstrual migraines in women, we can reason that we are dealing with similar reactions as the cause of these other migraine occurrences.

Taking a melatonin supplement before bed can be helpful for some people in preventing or lessening the severity of early morning migraines. For those who take Tuliv Migraine Defense regularly and still may have some break-though 4 AM type migraines, adding a 1 mg time-released melatonin supplement at bedtime works synergistically to prevent these headaches.

What about a migraine that begins after we get up in the morning? Well, just as melatonin helps us sleep, the hormone cortisol helps us wake up and start the day. Cortisol is a powerful hormone used by the body to make us more alert, especially while under stress. Our research has shown that cortisol may be the underlying cause of stress headaches.

When we trace how cortisol works in the body, we see that it also has an effect on the LH and FSH hormones receptors on the "migraine gene" cells and so we again feel we are dealing with the same set of principles that are at the center of the cause of migraines.

We have mentioned three different times of the day when migraines are most likely to start, and yet we have named only two different hormones. That is because melatonin also appears to be involved in the occurrence of afternoon headaches.

Have you ever noticed how you begin to feel tired or let down in the late afternoon? That is when melatonin starts to enter the body. Melatonin is produced from serotonin, that is to say the pineal gland converts serotonin to melatonin. We have already mentioned above how melatonin affects the "migraine gene" cells. Although some migraine researchers see the lack of serotonin as the problem, what may actually be occurring is the reaction of melatonin after it has been converted from serotonin.

For the most part, Tuliv Migraine Defense prevents migraine no matter what time of the day; however, if this is not complete for all afternoon headaches, we may recommend adding the supplement 5-HTP, which appears to help increase serotonin or at least stabilize the depletion of it. Some research has indicated that 5-HTP alone may be helpful in preventing migraines or at least in reducing their frequency and severity.

The time when migraines occur reveals a great deal of information about what is happening in the body and points to the cause of migraines. By understanding and using this information, we can find natural ways to help prevent migraines. At Tuliv, we are dedicated to helping you find your best solution for a migraine-free life.

What time of the day do most of your migraines start? If you are unsure of any pattern, then please print a copy of our Migraine Diary and track your migraines for the next month and see what you find. We will be happy to go over the results with you, either by phone (1-866-367-5953) or by email Questions@Tuliv.net

We welcome your questions and comments. You can contact Lyle Henry directly by email at Lyle@Tuliv.net or by calling 1-866-367-5953. There is no cost or obligation for his services.