Inflammatory changes develop around blood vessels and there are alterations in blood flow to the brain. The usual electrical activity of the brain may change. This complex sequence of events causes the pain and the other symptoms associated with migraine. Since the same neurochemical transmitters which are involved in migraine are necessary for other body functions such as sleep and mood, it may not be unusual for people with migraine to experience depression, anxiety, panic attacks and sleep disturbances. These associations are important in developing an effective program for preventive migraine treatment.
Hereditary factors play a role in that physiological vulnerability.
As one's blood sugar drops too rapidly, it can trigger a headache of a migraine type. In addition, a person with an abnormal blood sugar metabolism can trigger a headache by missing even a single meal. So it is better to eat regularly, at the same time in the day, and regulate medications around meal times as well. Headaches that occur after sleeping longer than usual or headaches that occur during the night or upon awakening may reflect hypoglycemia, although many other explanations are possible. Stress does not cause headache, but stress can be an important trigger for many headache sufferers.