Head Often Feels Heavy In The Morning? High Cholesterol Alert

Illustration of the head feels heavy in the morning (Freepic)

JAKARTA - Head complaints feel heavy when waking up in the morning are often considered as a result of lack of sleep or stress. However, did you know that this condition could be an early signal of more serious health problems, one of which is high cholesterol levels?

Although this symptom cannot be used as a reference, a number of studies have stated that there is a connection between headaches and increased cholesterol in the body.

High cholesterol is often dubbed a 'silent killer', for not showing striking symptoms. That is, a person can have very high cholesterol levels without ever experiencing meaningful complaints, until they end up experiencing serious complications such as heart attacks or strokes. Therefore, the only way to accurately determine cholesterol levels is through laboratory examinations.

Even so, some people claim to feel certain physical changes such as a heavy feeling in the head, especially in the morning. This raises the question, is there a direct relationship between high cholesterol and headaches?

Although there is no clear scientific evidence stating that high cholesterol directly causes headaches, a number of studies have shown interesting correlations between the two.

One of the most well-known studies was conducted in 2015 with the title Correlation between Migraine Severity and Cholesterol Levels. This study found a significant positive relationship between the severity of migraines with total cholesterol levels and LDL (bad cholesterol).

Another study in 2011 also highlighted the link between blood lipid profiles and migraines. By involving 925 respondents, the results of this study show that individuals with higher total cholesterol levels tend to experience migraines more often than those with normal cholesterol levels.

Dr. Like Loffin, a cardiologist from Cleveland Clinic, responded carefully to these findings.

"The general conclusion is that there is a connection when it comes to migraine headaches," said Like Loffin, MD, quoted from the Cleveland Clinic page.

However, Dr. Laffin also emphasized that this connection could not be used as evidence that cholesterol was the main cause of headaches. According to him, there is no solid scientific basis that can state a direct causal relationship between the two.

"The brain has an extraordinary ability to adapt to blood pressure in a short time. But if it increases, headaches can appear," he explained.

What needs to be understood is that high cholesterol often goes hand in hand with high blood pressure, and both are the main risk factors for atherosclerosis or narrowing of blood vessels due to plaque buildup.

When plaque cholesterol accumulates on arterial walls, blood pressure can rise because blood flow becomes not smooth. This condition can then trigger headaches, especially if they occur in brain blood vessels.

Furthermore, the combination of high cholesterol and hypertension also increases the risk of a stroke, an emergency condition that often begins with complaints such as severe and sudden headaches.

Although it has not been proven to be a direct cause, complaints such as heavy head in the morning still deserve to be watched out for, especially if accompanied by other symptoms such as fatigue easily, chest pain, or visual problems.

Regular cholesterol levels examination is very important, especially for individuals with risk factors such as obesity, family history, smoking, or unhealthy eating patterns.

Changing your lifestyle to be healthier, avoiding high-fat foods that are saturated, exercising regularly, and checking with doctors can be the first step to prevent complications due to high cholesterol.