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Skimping on Sleep

Doctors agree: Getting too little or poor-quality sleep can intensify the hurt by lowering your pain threshold and making you irritable the next day. It can also increase the risk of depression, if you have chronic pain. This may be partly because “the same area of the brain that mediates sleep also mediates pain, anxiety and depression,” Kulich says.

Solution: Make good-quality sleep a priority. Set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time so you get the seven to nine hours of shut-eye per night that most adults need. Exercise at least four hours before bedtime to put yourself in the mood to snooze. Create a soothing sleep environment that’s dark, quiet and comfortable, and do something relaxing like take a warm bath or listen to music before turning in. If you suspect you have a sleep disorder, see a sleep specialist.

(Credit: ZenShui/Frederic Cirou/PhotoAlto Agency RF Collections/Getty Images)
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