Axis Journal of Medical and Biosocial Sciences (AJMBS)

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MIGRAINE FREQUENCY, SLEEP QUALITY, AND STRESS LEVELS AMONG ADULT NEUROLOGY OUTPATIENTS IN PAKISTAN

Authors

  • Hashir Amin Malik

    Author

  • Farah Niaz Awan

    Author

Keywords:
Adult; Cross-sectional studies; Migraine disorders; Outpatients; Pakistan; Observed Stress Scale; Pittsburgh SQI Index; Sleep quality; Stress, psychological; Young adult
Abstract

Background: Migraine is a mutual neurological disorder significantly influenced by lifestyle and psychosocial factors. Sleep disturbances and psychological stress are gradually recognized as modifiable providers to migraine burden, yet their combined association with migraine frequency remains underexplored in Pakistani clinical populations.

Objective: To uncover the association between migraine frequency, sleep quality, and stress levels among adult neurology outpatients in the Islamabad-Rawalpindi region of Pakistan.

Methods: A cross-sectional research was organized among 80 adult neurology outpatients with a clinical diagnosis of migraine. Migraine frequency was assessed as headache days per month. Sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and stress levels were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). The study procedure was consented by the Institutional Review Board/Ethical Committee of Punjab Rangers Teaching Hospital (Ref No. 96/2026, dated 03 January 2026). Pearson correlation, t-tests, and ANOVA were applied for statistical analysis.

Results: The mean migraine frequency was 8.9 ± 3.7 days/month. (PSQI >5) was detected in 68.8% of contestants, with a mean PSQI result of 7.8 ± 2.9. The average PSS-10 mark was 19.6 ± 5.4, indicating moderate stress. Important positive associations were realized between migraine frequency and PSQI (r = 0.42, p < 0.001), migraine frequency and PSS-10 (r = 0.47, p < 0.001), and PSQI and PSS-10 (r = 0.51, p < 0.001). Females reported higher migraine frequency and stress levels than males (p < 0.05). Participants with migraine duration >2 years had significantly poorer sleep quality (p = 0.02).

Conclusion: Poorer sleep quality and elevated stress levels are significantly associated with higher migraine frequency. Routine assessment of sleep and stress, along with integrated non-pharmacological interventions, may improve migraine management, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Author Biographies
  1. Hashir Amin Malik

    SR Neurology, Punjab Rangers Teaching Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.

  2. Farah Niaz Awan

    Consultant Anaesthesia, THQ Ferozewala, Pakistan.

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Axis Journal of Medical and Biosocial Sciences
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Published
2026-03-31
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Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026): Axis Journal of Medical and Biosocial Sciences (AJMBS)
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Copyright (c) 2026 Hashir Amin Malik, Farah Niaz Awan (Author)

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ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MIGRAINE FREQUENCY, SLEEP QUALITY, AND STRESS LEVELS AMONG ADULT NEUROLOGY OUTPATIENTS IN PAKISTAN. (2026). Axis Journal of Medical and Biosocial Sciences, 3(1), 17-29. https://axisjmbs.com/index.php/home/article/view/35