Sleep apnea and lack of sleep are more likely seen in children with migraine. A study conducted at St. Christopher Hospital for Children, Drexel University, in Philadelphia found that children with migraine were twice as likely to have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea, also called sleep disordered breathing involves repeated awakening from sleep because the upper airway for breathing has been obstructed. Severe migraine was also linked to shorter sleep time, longer time to fall asleep, and shorter REM sleep as well. REM sleep is the sleeping stage when most dreams are remembered.
Sleep apnea was also frequent in children with nonspecific headache, as well as children who were overweight.
“Sleeping problems can exacerbate the problems migraine causes on a child’s health and may hinder a child’s performance at school” said study author Martina Vendrame, MD, PhD. “Parents and doctors need to be aware of the strong likelihood of sleep disorders in children with migraine and seek appropriate preventions and treatments.” …….Science Daily 4/8/12