Ditching two common drinks can improve sleep and cut the risk of 'painful' condition

Lots of lifestyle factors can affect sleep quality and migraines, sleep specialist and sleep counsellor for TEMPUR Thomas Høegh Reisenhus explained.

He said: "Lack of sleep is a well-known trigger of migraines. Frustratingly, the painful condition can make the remedy of getting a good night's rest feel like an almost impossible task, creating a vicious cycle whereby you are even more tired and stressed which, in turn, worsens the symptoms.

"When it comes to breaking this negative cycle, the easiest place to start is by looking at your daily routine, especially your sleeping habits.

"For example, more often than not, seemingly innocent activities – mid-afternoon naps, bedtime scrolls, and weekend lie-ins, to name only a few – can be identified as aggravating migraine symptoms, if not potentially even causing them.

"It is no coincidence that many of these habits have been linked to reducing sleep quality too.

"Luckily, this means that just a few simple tweaks to your routine can help alleviate both the pain of your migraines and simultaneously improve your quality of sleep too – the latter of which will help to reduce the symptoms further, turning that vicious cycle into a positive one."

Drinking more water and cutting back on alcohol and caffeine could be the answer to more restful sleep, experts explained.

Dehydration is a common cause of headaches so Britons should drink plenty of water.

"Similarly, avoid alcohol. Alcohol can trigger migraine attacks as well as worsen the symptoms by contributing to dehydration and disrupting natural sleep cycles too," the experts continued.

"Though many think that an evening tipple aids sleep, it is widely agreed that an alcohol-induced sleep tends to be of a significantly lower quality.

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"Whilst the link between caffeine and headaches remains ambiguous, there is no doubt of its impact on sleep. Caffeine can remain in your bloodstream for as long as 10 hours so it’s best to try and enforce a caffeine cut-off by 2pm at the latest.

"Beware of hidden sources of the stimulant too; for example, paracetamol, a popular medication of migraine sufferers, often contains caffeine."

Thomas warned anyone experiencing persistent problems that they may need to speak to a professional.

He concluded: "Whilst good sleep hygiene can help ease and even prevent migraines, if your symptoms are severe, persistent, or getting worse, do not hesitate to visit a doctor or health professional for support."