Jason C Ong1, Edward J Stepanski, Sandra E Gramling. 1. Sleep Disorders Service and Research Center, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, 1653 West Congress Parkway, Chicago, IL 60612-3833, USA. Jason_Ong@rush.edu
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES: Insomnia has been identified as a risk factor for tension-type headache, although the pathogenesis of sleep disturbance in this population is unclear. The present study examined pain-related self-management strategies in a nonclinical, young-adult sample for preliminary evidence to support a novel hypothesis for the development of insomnia in this population. METHODS: Self-report data on triggers of headache, pain interference with sleep, and pain-related self-management strategies were analyzed for 32 women with tension-type headache and 33 women with minimal pain who served as controls. RESULTS: The results revealed that a significantly greater proportion of the headache group relative to the control group reported sleep problems as a trigger of headaches, stress as a trigger of headache, and going to sleep as a coping strategy for pain. The headache group also reported significantly higher ratings of pain interference with sleep. Going to sleep was the most commonly used self-management strategy (81%) by headache sufferers and also rated as the most effective strategy (5.5 out of 7.0). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a bidirectional relationship between sleep disturbance and headache is present in this young-adult sample. Furthermore, the frequent use of sleep as a self-management strategy for pain is consistent with the hypothesis that sleep-seeking behavior might be a mediating factor in the development of insomnia among people with tension-type headache. This hypothesis fits within the most widely accepted conceptual model of chronic insomnia and should be further investigated in individuals with both tension-type headache and insomnia.
STUDY OBJECTIVES:Insomnia has been identified as a risk factor for tension-type headache, although the pathogenesis of sleep disturbance in this population is unclear. The present study examined pain-related self-management strategies in a nonclinical, young-adult sample for preliminary evidence to support a novel hypothesis for the development of insomnia in this population. METHODS: Self-report data on triggers of headache, pain interference with sleep, and pain-related self-management strategies were analyzed for 32 women with tension-type headache and 33 women with minimal pain who served as controls. RESULTS: The results revealed that a significantly greater proportion of the headache group relative to the control group reported sleep problems as a trigger of headaches, stress as a trigger of headache, and going to sleep as a coping strategy for pain. The headache group also reported significantly higher ratings of pain interference with sleep. Going to sleep was the most commonly used self-management strategy (81%) by headache sufferers and also rated as the most effective strategy (5.5 out of 7.0). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a bidirectional relationship between sleep disturbance and headache is present in this young-adult sample. Furthermore, the frequent use of sleep as a self-management strategy for pain is consistent with the hypothesis that sleep-seeking behavior might be a mediating factor in the development of insomnia among people with tension-type headache. This hypothesis fits within the most widely accepted conceptual model of chronic insomnia and should be further investigated in individuals with both tension-type headache and insomnia.
Authors: Jason C Ong; Spencer C Dawson; Hannah L Taylor; Margaret Park; Helen J Burgess; Megan R Crawford; Jeanetta C Rains; Todd A Smitherman; Colin A Espie; Alex L Jones; James K Wyatt Journal: Behav Sleep Med Date: 2022-03-23 Impact factor: 3.492
Authors: Jason C Ong; Hannah L Taylor; Margaret Park; Helen J Burgess; Rina S Fox; Sarah Snyder; Jeanetta C Rains; Colin A Espie; James K Wyatt Journal: Headache Date: 2018-05-04 Impact factor: 5.887