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Symptoms could include:
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Difficulty Falling Asleep
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Difficulty Staying Asleep
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Early Awakening
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Neglected Appearance
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Outbursts of Anger
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Poor Hygiene
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Poor Self Esteem
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Self Depreciation
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Withdrawn Behavior
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The main symptom of dysthymia is low, dark, or sad mood nearly every day for at least 2 years. Other symptoms can include: Poor appetite or overeating; Insomnia or hypersomnia; Low energy or fatigue; Low self-esteem; Poor concentration; Feelings o...
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Dysthymic disorder is defined as a mood disorder with chronic (long-term) depressive symptoms that are present most of the day, more days than not, for a period of at least two years.
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Detailed information on depression and depression in women, including types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Everybody feels sad sometimes, but to be clinically depressed is not just a matter of feeling sad. A patient with cancer is diagnosed as having major depression only if certain symptoms, such as loss of pleasure or thoughts of death, are present for at least two weeks.
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An emotional state or mood characterized by one or more of these symptoms: sad mood, low energy, poor concentration, sleep or appetite changes, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, and thoughts of suicide. Until recently, it was thought that children and adolescents could not suffer from clinical depression.
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Depression is the general name for a family of illnesses known as depressive disorders. Depression is an illness that affects not only the mood and thoughts, but also the physical functions of affected individuals.
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Depression and depressive disorders (unipolar depression) are mental illnesses characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that once were pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep , appetite, and mental processes are common symptoms of depression.
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Depression is the general name for a family of illnesses known as depressive disorders. Depression is an illness that affects not only the mood and thoughts, but also the physical functions of affected individuals.
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Depression or depressive disorders (unipolar depression) are mental illnesses characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, and mental processes are a common accompaniment.
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Depression or depressive disorders (unipolar depression) are mental illnesses characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, and mental processes are a common accompaniment.
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A depressive disorder is defined by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) as an illness that involves the body, mood and thoughts. It encompasses feelings of overwhelming sadness and despair that persist or intensify over time.
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Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended period of time. See also: Adolescent depression; Depression in the elderly.
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Depression, also known as depressive disorders or unipolar depression, is a mental illness characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that once were pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, and mental processes are a common accompaniment.
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This report offers in-depth information on the causes of depression and the treatments and medications that can lift your mood.
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It's important not to underestimate the dangers associated with depression, especially if you've had multiple episodes or lingering symptoms. For example, people who don't get treated for their depression have a higher risk for suicide.
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People who are depressed have a cluster of symptoms characterized by sadness and a profound lack of energy and well-being.
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Depression is a complicated and common mental health condition that affects about 10 to 15 percent of Americans. The following questions and answers can help you recognize and get effective treatment for depression.
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Men suffer from depression in smaller numbers than women do, but their treatment needs differ due to responses to medication, especially in older men. Additional medication may be necessary to treat the sexual side effects.
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The analysis of more than 15,000 young people in the United States found about a third of the cases of depression and obesity among those teens could be attributed to being from families with low incomes.
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Too often, parents miss the signs of depression. Or, they believe their teen will “snap out of it” eventually.
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Many people with depression do not receive adequate medical treatment, and even if they are treated, doctors may not be paying enough attention to their patients' needs.
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In elderly patients, symptoms of depression can be mistaken for symptoms of another medical problem, so it is important for clinicians to consider all physical problems and medications of elderly patients before making a diagnosis.
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A woman’s unique biological, social, and cultural factors may increase her risk for depression.
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Learning more about this illness will allow you to understand what your symptoms may mean and make it easier for you to seek help.
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In general, only about three percent of the elderly living independently in the community will experience depression. That figure increases to around 20 to 30 percent of persons in nursing homes or with chronic illnesses like emphysema, heart disease or diabetes.
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Depression is not "all in your head." It is a real illness that saps your energy. It can leave you feeling sad, hopeless, lonely and guilty. It is related to a chemical imbalance in the brain and to certain traits such as low self-esteem and pessimism. Some kinds of depression may be inherited.
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Everyone feels down at times, but diabetics are especially prone to depression. An unhappy period that’s intense or lasts for more than a couple of weeks can be a sign of depression. Depression is a serious illness.
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The mind and the body are intimately connected, and our overall health depends on both working well. This is most evident in depression: Research shows that people who suffer from clinical depression face a higher risk of contracting one of the stress-linked illnesses than the rest of the population.
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Studies suggest mental health care following a heart attack can improve patient health and mortality.
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Depression can often develop as a result of a heart attack or cardiac surgery, and has more serious effects on heart health and overall health than depression that was present before a heart attack.
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Seasonal affective disorder is thought to be caused by decreased exposure to sunlight during the winter months. Light therapy helps some people, and the FDA has approved the antidepressant bupropion for treatment as well.
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Studies of a link between depression and osteoporosis suggest the bone deterioration could be a result of the depression, or may be caused by taking antidepressant medications for a long period of time.
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Discussing the definition and treatment of a contested psychological diagnosis???atypical depression.
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A roundup of studies exploring the beneficial effects of exercise on depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Is it a case of the chicken and the egg?
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Exposure to the right kind of light may go a long way toward reducing seasonal affective disorder symptoms.
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Two studies examine the correlation between depression in adults and its prevalence in their children, and the effect of adults' treatment on the children's mental health.
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Depressed patients are more likely to respond to medical treatment if their doctors practice empathy and effective communication skills.
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My mother has advanced lung cancer and is receiving chemo. I live with her and am also her caregiver. We have been very close all of our lives, and I am having a hard time adjusting well. Sometimes I even get angry with her and then I feel guilty. The next step is I get depressed and have thought about a way out, but have not attempted anything. Can you suggest anything to help me cope?
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Are children with ADD more likely to be depressed?
Claire McCarthy, M.D., is a senior medical editor for Harvard Health Publications. She is an instructor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, an attending physician at Children's Hospital of Boston, and co-director of the pediatrics department at Martha Eliot Health Center, a neighborhood health service of Children's Hospital. The author of two books, "Learning How the Heart Beats" and "Everyone's Children", Dr. McCarthy was a regular columnist for "Sesame Street Parents Magazine" from 1995 to 1998 and is currently a contributing editor for "Parenting Magazine".
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Discusses options for treatment of seasonal affective disorder.The treatment of seasonal affective disorder throws light on dark moods.
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People who suffer from depression are more likely to have a sleep-related breathing problem such as apnea. Treating the sleep problem may help alleviate the depression in some people.
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A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about whether Accutane, a powerful acne medication, has been linked to depression or suicide.
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An explanation of the two-way relationship between depression and stroke. Depressed people are at higher risk for a stroke, but depression often precedes as well as follows a stroke.
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Hypotheses explaining how depression manifests itself. The American Psychiatric Association requires any five of nine symptoms for a diagnosis of major depression. As the definition implies, these symptoms do not all appear in everyone who is depressed. Two studies explore the consequences for the understanding of depression and come to contrasting conclusions. One study suggests that an individual patient's symptoms are not consistent, but change more or less unpredictably from one episode of depression to the next. The other study suggests that there are several sets of depressive symptoms that are distinguishable genetically and therefore likely to persist in a given individual.
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Concern about antidepressants increasing the risk of suicide in children could have the unintended effect that children suffering from depression may not receive needed treatment.
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Researchers in China found that Chinese citizens were more likely to express symptoms of depression as having a physical component as well as an emotional one, due to the way their culture interprets such feelings.
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During the dark days of winter, many people develop signs of depression that are tied to the changing amount of daylight.
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Teen depression is a serious illness. The benefits of getting help, including taking medications if needed, far outweigh the potential risks.
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A study claims that obese people are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, but the findings do not prove that the conditions are causally related to each other.
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Folate, a B vitamin, breaks down homocysteine, which may be associated with depression. Because of this it has been tested as a possible treatment, but the results have been mixed and more research is needed.
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Behavioral activation therapy is a variation of cognitive therapy that encourages patients to fight depression by examining their feelings and experiences and focusing on their positive accomplishments.
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Depression is sometimes referred to as the common cold of mental illness. It is a debilitating disease with significant societal costs.
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The unrealistic expectations of the season, time and financial pressures, missing loved ones and reflecting on past events as the year comes to an end all contribute to the blues.
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Although anyone can suffer from depression, it is particularly common among older adults. Depression affects 15 out of every 100 adults older than 65.
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Is there a link between depression and migraines?
Michael Craig Miller, M.D., is editor-in-chief of the Harvard Mental Health Letter and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Miller has an active clinical practice and has been on staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for more than 25 years.
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Reports of risky side effects may have dampened enthusiasm for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are among the world's most widely prescribed medications. A review of concerns and benefits associated with SSRIs.
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According to two studies, women going through menopause are much more likely to develop symptoms of depression, due in part to changes in hormone production. Hormone replacement may provide temporary relief from severe depression.
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A discussion of the social impact of depression in the elderly and the benefits of treatment.
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Most people, most of the time, overestimate themselves. It is pervasive and powerful, but is not the same in all people or in all circumstances.
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A recent study offers evidence that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may help those who develop depression after a heart attack.
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Living with diabetes may increase the likelihood of depression. The connection may be go both ways: information from a diabetes trial suggests the possibility of a link between antidepressant use and diabetes.
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Having a chronic condition such as COPD can lead to depression. You can get help. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms.
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Primary care physicians should be asking their patients questions about five "warning flag" symptoms to determine whether they should be screened for depression or other mood disorders, researchers say.
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What's the difference between a bad case of the blues and the painful mental disorder known as depression? According to the experts, impaired functioning is usually a clear-cut indication of clinical depression.
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Although sadness touches all our lives, true depression is different in its intensity and persistence.
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Instead of asking for help, men who are depressed are likely to drink alcohol to excess, take drugs, or become frustrated, discouraged, and irritable.
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Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of severe vision loss in people over 55. A recent trial shows that education may help relieve disability and depression in those with the condition.
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A study shows that interaction with animals can be a path to recovery from depression.
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Older people with macular degeneration are more likely to experience depression, but those who received problem-solving therapy to help them adapt to and cope with their condition were less likely to develop depression.
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DHEA may not be an anti-aging panacea, as some suggest, but a new study suggests that it may be able to temporarily lift mood.
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Discussion of whether the new antidepressant Cymbalta (duloxetine) has any advantage over other antidepressants on the market.
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While there is a very small risk of suicide in adolescents who take antidepressants, they are also beneficial to many teenagers with depression. All factors should be weighed in treatment decisions, and patients should be monitored carefully.
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Mental health among Americans may have declined during the 1990s.
Revealing information on the mental health of Americans appears in data from three random telephone surveys of the adult population by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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Everyone gets down in the dumps from time to time. But you may have clinical depression if a feeling of sadness or loss of interest in life and friends lingers for two weeks or more.
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Because depression isn't a normal part of growing older, it's important to learn the signs of this condition and seek help if you or a loved one could be suffering from it.
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The medical community once thought depression affected only adults. The risk for the condition begins in the early teens, however, and increases steadily through the mid-20s.
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Take action if you suspect a friend and/or family member suffers from depression. It's a condition that can cloud thinking and make people believe they aren't worth helping, so they often can't help themselves.
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A combination of factors causes depression. Some cases are triggered by a stressful experience, such as the death of a spouse or loss of a job. Some illnesses, such as cancer, also can cause depression, as can alcohol and drug abuse.
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When recommending treatment for clinical depression, physicians typically prescribe a tried-and-true regimen: anti-depressant medication and "talk" therapy. In the future, however, health professionals may be advocating a healthy dose of exercise.
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Chances are you know the difference between occasional sadness and depression. But here's a fact you may not know: Hypothyroidism, a common thyroid disorder, can cause depression.
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Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.
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Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress , medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease. Everyone experiences fatigue occasionally.
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Boosting Your Energy provides information on the causes and treatments of persistent fatigue. Includes information on aging and energy, eating for energy, and boosting your energy.
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Fatigue may be defined as a subjective state in which one feels tired or exhausted, and in which the capacity for normal work or activity is reduced. There is, however, no commonly accepted definition of fatigue when it is considered in the context of health and illness.
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Fatigue: TreatmentIf the fatigue is related to a decrease in hemoglobin, or oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, then replacing the red blood cells by transfusion or taking erythropoietin can help reduce fatigue. If the fatigue is not related to...
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If you regularly feel weary after waking from a good night’s sleep or for no apparent reason, it’s time to find out why.
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Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress , medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease. Everyone experiences fatigue occasionally.
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Introduction Fatigue may be defined as a subjective state in which one feels tired or exhausted, and in which the capacity for normal work or activity is reduced. There is, however, no commonly accepted definition of fatigue when it is considered in the context of health and illness.
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Fatigue is a feeling of exhaustion or loss of strength. The duration of fatigue for a patient with cancer has been found to last from one to two times the length of time between diagnosis and completion of treatment, so it is common for fatigue to persist beyond a patient ' s treatment regimen.
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Fatigue: ManagementIf the person on chemotherapy has decreased hemoglobin, or oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, and it seems like the low hemoglobin level will last for a while, then a medicine called PROCRIT® (Epoetin alfa) may be prescribed...
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Fatigue: CausesWe currently understand some of the causes of fatigue but not all of them. Fatigue may be related to physical changes caused by cancer or its treatment (chemotherapy, biotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery).
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Fatigue: DefinitionFatigue is a vague feeling of being tired, weak, or exhausted. It is often a symptom of cancer, when cancer is first diagnosed, or when cancer progresses (Ferrell et al, 1996).
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Oncology: Managing FatigueFatigue is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It can be caused by worry, lack of sleep, and poor appetite.
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Many people experience late-in-the-day energy lags, but you can take steps to prevent them.
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Sleep issues; Difficulty falling asleep Insomnia is difficulty falling or staying asleep. In many cases, it can be relieved with a few simple behavioral changes or medication. Talk with your health care provider if you have any of the following sy...
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Insomnia is the inability to obtain an adequate amount or quality of sleep. The difficulty can be in falling asleep, remaining asleep, or both.
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Some nights, sleep comes easily, and you sail through the night in a satisfying slumber. Waking up after a night of good sleep feels wonderful — you're refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the world. Other nights, sleep comes slowly or not until the wee hours. Or you may fall asleep, only to awaken throughout the night.
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Detailed information on insomnia, its causes, and ways to help reduce sleep problems
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Insomnia is the inability to obtain an adequate amount or quality of sleep. The difficulty can be in falling asleep, remaining asleep, or both.
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Insomnia is a condition that occurs when a person in unable to get long enough or refreshing enough sleep at night. Insomnia can result from an inability to fall asleep, an inability to stay asleep, or waking too early before having gotten enough sleep.
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Treating InsomniaGood sleeping habits are a key part of treatment. If needed, some medications may help you sleep better at first.
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InsomniaSymptom and DescriptionSeven t |