Melatonin for Headache Disorders

Melatonin, most commonly used as a natural sleep aid, has some other health benefits.

It has been shown to reduce fat accumulation in non-alcoholic liver after 6 weeks of use. It is good for those living with insomnia and for patients with cancer. It may also be effective in treating some headache disorders, specifically cluster headaches and migraines. Researchers can now examine the underlying mechanisms that allow melatonin to benefit in certain disorders and also clarify better dosing.

The study that found this link between melatonin and headaches compared the treatment to a placebo. For cluster headaches and migraines, melatonin was superior to the placebo.

You are covered whether it is insomnia or a headache disorder that you are dealing with.

It is important to address insomnia as it can lead to serious health issues such as brain atrophy. Poor sleep quality was associated with smaller brain volume in the right superior frontal cortex of the brain. Shorter sleep duration, time actually spent asleep and increased time to fall asleep were all linked to brain atrophy across frontal, temporal and parietal cortices in the brain. Poor sleep affects our memory, productivity, moods, hormones and general well-being.  We need stage 4 sleep to repair our brains and bodies.  

For migraine sufferers, you need something to prevent a debilitating migraine.  When struck with a headache most people with migraines will go into headache hibernation - a dark room, no light, no food and try to sleep it off. They usually emerge two days later and feel terrible about their lack of quality of life.

Consumption of gluten in patients with a sensitivity or Celiac disease can cause migraines, tension headaches, and cluster headaches. We test for food allergies that can be triggering your health problems. After testing for trigger foods, we can guide you on the next steps to living a healthier lifestyle. Gluten allergy can mimic the effects of IBS and can be treated by removing gluten from the diet. We also suggest Good Gut probiotics to aid in the regulation of your intestinal microbiome. We definitely recommend trying melatonin or 5-HTP to improve the quality of your sleep.