An international study published in The Lancet Neurology in 2025 analyzed data from about 41,000 patients across 18 countries.
The findings show that women not only experience migraines more frequently, but also spend significantly longer periods living with symptoms.
Overall, researchers concluded that women carry more than twice the total migraine burden of men.
Why duration matters
Most earlier studies focused on how often migraines occur. The new research instead examined how long attacks last and how much time people lose to the condition.
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Andreas Kattem Husøy of the Norwegian Center for Headache Research, one of the study’s authors, said in comments reported by National Geographic that frequency alone does not reflect how disruptive migraine can be.
Longer-lasting attacks can have a major impact on work, family life, and quality of life.
Migraine is more than a headache
Migraines typically involve more than head pain.
According to Messoud Ashina, director of the Danish Headache Center, attacks often include nausea, extreme fatigue, and sensitivity to light and smells.
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Scientists believe migraines involve the trigeminovascular system, a network of nerves and blood vessels in the brain.
The role of hormones
Many researchers suspect hormones help explain why women are more affected.
Addie Peretz, a neurologist at Stanford University, has noted that estrogen and progesterone receptors are found in migraine-related nerve pathways.
Migraine rates rise after puberty and often change during pregnancy and perimenopause, when hormone levels shift.
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Still an incomplete picture
Experts stress that hormones are not the only factor. Many women have migraines unrelated to their menstrual cycle, and millions of men also suffer from the condition.
Researchers say more women-focused studies are essential to better understand migraine, and to develop more effective, targeted treatments.
Sources: National Geographic, and The Lancet Neurology.
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