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Sleeping Less Cited as
Increasing Cause of Tension Headaches
"If you suffer from headaches, it could be because, like
most everyone else, you're losing sleep," according to a
report released by the Excedrin Headache Resource Center.
"Lack of sleep is a common contributor to tension
headaches." And according to Dr. Robert Watson, Director of
the New Haven Sleep Disorders Center in Connecticut, "Most
Americans probably aren't getting as much sleep as they
should."
Their report goes on to share the information that everyone
is talking about these days. People are working more and
sleeping less, and suffering as a result. We have discovered
that over the past two decades the average American work
schedule has increased by 158 hours per year; nearly 4 full work
weeks. Working mothers have increased their workload by a half
again as much.
Headaches are only part of the personal cost of working more
and sleeping less according to their report. "People who
don't get enough sleep find it harder to handle the stresses of
everyday life," they say. "This in turn generates even
more stress." The result is a lose-lose situation since the
increased stress frequently interferes with being able to get to
sleep or to sleep through the night.
"Sleep deprivation has been described as a 'silent
epidemic' because, even though the problem is widespread, few
recognize how serious it is," the report declares.
Other
problems resulting from the lack of sleep include:
- Decreased mental sharpness. "Perhaps the most
important benefit of sleep is its effect on mental
performance," the report states. "Even the loss of
a single night's sleep can affect our ability to
concentrate."
- Reduced creativity. Various research supports this
realization that we have more difficulty thinking on our
feet and being creative when we have had an insufficient
amount of sleep.
- Irritability. No need for lab research here,
although there is plenty to show, people who don't get
enough sleep are difficult to be around and to work with.
- Feeling "down." "The psychological
consequences of sleep deprivation," according to the
report, "can range from negative mood and general
malaise to feelings of poor health and unhappiness."
So what do they suggest for folks who are trying to do too much
with too little sleep.
- Make sleep a priority
- Consolidate your sleep into one solid period
- Develop healthy eating habits because healthy people sleep
better
- Practice proper sleep-inducing habits
- Grab a nap when you can
Dr. Watson adds a word of caution, "If you wake up most
mornings with a headache that goes away during the day, you may
be experiencing sleep apnea, a condition in which patients stop
breathing for short periods of time while they're
sleeping." In such instances, you should consult your
family doctor. |
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