Americans Are Overtired And Are Taking It Lying Down (NAPSA)—A nationwide survey frequently tired even after getting (49 percent) are awareof tiredness, but not that it can be a symptom of “Women today have so many responsibilities that tiredness to be tired,” said Elizabeth A. ing and consumeraffairs, National that can be done. Thefirst step is awareness—women need to be made aware that tiredness can be common,it is only too easy to dis- tion and they should talk with their doctor.” As part of this awareness found almost half of all Americans seven to eight hoursof sleep. a serious medical condition. “We all know what it feels like often seems inevitable,” said Battaglino. “Yet, there is so much Battaglino, RN, director of market- Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC) which conducted the survey. “Because the feeling is so a sign of a serious medical condi- miss ongoing tiredness as normal initiative, NWHRC developed information cards to encourage and not get help.” Many people may be suffering from excessive sleepiness, a key symptom and one of the most debilitating features of many sleep disorders. This condition often results in decreased work produc- tivity and social interaction. Onethird (33 percent) of those sur- veyed said fatigue stopped them from being productive. Almost one in three refrained from social or Americans are tired and, for the most part, do little about how they feel, studies show. “Those with ongoing tiredness or The survey was madepossible by exhaustion. physicians don’t realize and needs to be taken more seriously,” said “They live with their symptoms out Lauren Krupp, M.D., neurologist and co-director of the MS Compre- hensive Care Center at State University of New York Stony Brook. Unfortunately, excessive sleepiness and fatigue often go unrecog- nized by physicians. One reason may be the manner in which patients describe their symptoms. A diagnosis may be missed by physicians who do not realize that consumers determine whether their tiredness should be brought “Being tired is a very significant problem that most people, even contain assessment tools to help excessive sleepiness and fatigue can be described by patients as difficulty concentrating and an overwhelming sense of tiredness and fatigue believe there is a certain stigma associated with their condition,” added Joyce Walsleben, Ph.D., recreational activities. physicians and consumersto discuss these conditions. These cards director of the Sleep Disorders Center at NYU School of Medicine. of fear that others will label them as lazy or complainers.” Despite widespread public dis- cussions about the dangers associated with the over-reliance on coffee and sodas to makeit through the day, 45 percent of people surveyed admitted to using caffeine or a similar stimulantsolely for maintaining alertness. Surprisingly, nearly half of all respondents were to the attention of a physician and to help physicians gauge whether their patients’ tiredness is ata level requiring further evaluation. an educational grant from Cepha- lon, Inc. The National Women’s Health Resource Center, Inc. (NWHRC) has helped millions of women educate themselves about the health topics that concern them the most. The non-profit organization, dedicated to helping women make informed decisions about their health, encourages womento embrace healthy lifestyles to promote wellness and prevent disease. For more information, visit www.healthywomen.org or call, toll-free, 877-986-9472.
