What the postdrome phase is
Migraine attacks are commonly described in stages, and the final one is usually called the postdrome, or informally the migraine hangover. The Migraine Trust describes it as the stage after the headache has resolved, when people can continue to feel unwell for some time.
Not everyone experiences it, and it varies from attack to attack in the same person.
Why the end of head pain may not feel like the end
Migraine is a neurological condition rather than a single episode of pain, so the pain easing does not mean everything has returned to normal. Many people describe feeling washed out, slow or oddly tender, as if they have recovered from something more substantial than a headache.
This is worth knowing mostly because of expectations. If you assume that the pain going means the day is yours again, the afternoon that follows can feel like a personal failing rather than a recognised stage of an attack.
Commonly reported postdrome experiences
People frequently describe some combination of:
- 01Tiredness that sleep does not immediately fix
- 02Difficulty concentrating or finding words
- 03A dull tenderness where the pain had been
- 04Low or unusually bright mood
- 05Continued sensitivity to light, sound or movement
- 06Neck and shoulder stiffness
- 07Reduced appetite, or hunger arriving suddenly
Fatigue and reduced concentration
The two most commonly mentioned are fatigue and a foggy quality of thinking. Detailed work, driving long distances and difficult conversations are all harder than usual, so where you have any choice, they are worth moving.
- 01Do the easiest useful task rather than the most important one
- 02Write things down instead of trusting recall
- 03Ask for a deadline to move by a day rather than working through slowly
Sensitivity to light, sound or movement
Sensitivity often lingers after the pain. Dimmer lighting, quieter rooms and slower movement are usually more comfortable than pushing straight back into a busy environment.
Returning to normal activity gradually
Gentle and gradual tends to be described as more sustainable than a full return followed by another difficult day. A short walk, daylight, and one manageable task is a reasonable shape for a first day back.
A gentler return
After a difficult day, returning immediately to a full schedule may feel overwhelming. Where possible, give yourself permission to reduce stimulation, restore familiar routines and return to activity at a pace that feels manageable.
Food, water, rest and routine
Nothing complicated, and nothing that claims to shorten this stage. Regular meals, steady water, and returning to your usual sleep and wake times are the things people most often say help them feel more themselves.
- 01Plain, easy food rather than skipping meals entirely
- 02Water within reach through the day
- 03Your normal bedtime rather than an unusually early or late one
- 04Daylight at some point, even briefly
Recording the full attack in a migraine diary
Most diaries stop when the pain stops, which loses the part that often affects work and family life most. Noting how long the after effects lasted gives your GP a far more accurate picture of how migraine affects you, and NICE guidance supports using a headache diary to help assess and review headache disorders.
- 01When the pain started and stopped
- 02How long the after effects lasted
- 03What you were unable to do
- 04Any treatment used, and when
When lingering or changing symptoms need medical advice
Speak to your GP if the pattern of your attacks changes, if after effects last longer than usual, if headaches become more frequent, or if any of it is interfering with daily life. Seek urgent medical help for the emergency features NHS guidance describes, including a sudden severe headache, headache with a stiff neck, fever or rash, weakness, confusion, slurred speech, seizures or a headache after a head injury. This is general information, not medical advice, and the list of reasons to seek help is not exhaustive.
Stephanie's experience
Speaking personally rather than clinically: the day after was the part I understood least for years. Naming it made the difference. Knowing that the flatness and the fog are a recognised stage, rather than something I had brought on myself, made it far easier to give the following day a lighter shape.
Further reading
This article is general education, not medical advice. Rapha Organics products are cosmetics, not medicines, and we make no claims that they prevent, relieve or cure migraine or any other condition. Please speak to a healthcare professional about your own symptoms.
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