Changes in daily hassles, mood, and sleep in the 2 days before a migraine headache.

OBJECTIVE

The determination of the changes in the incidence and stressfulness of daily hassles as well as in the mood states: alert, tense, irritable, annoyed, depressed, and tired and in the quality of sleep in the 2 days before a migraine headache.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Private headache practice.

PATIENTS

Twenty female migraine patients.

INTERVENTIONS

Diary four times per day for 10 consecutive weeks with the variables quantified through the use of 100-mm visual analogue scales.

RESULTS

The incidence and stressfulness of daily hassles as well as the mood states: tense, irritable, annoyed, depressed, and tired were significantly increased in the 2 days before a migraine headache in comparison to control days.

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirm previous studies that daily hassles are increased in the days before a migraine headache. They also show that the increase in daily hassles is associated with mood changes, particularly consisting of tension and depression.