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Chorus snorus.


I fall asleep everywhere--in class, after school, even in choir. I once dozed off right in the middle of practice. No matter how early I go to bed, I can't fall asleep until after 3 a.m. What's wrong with me?

There's no way you're getting the Z's you need. Girls your age require nine hours a night. That's why you're exhausted. In teens, there's something called delayed sleep phase delayed sleep phase Sleep disorders 1. A condition that occurs when the clock hour at which sleep normally occurs is moved back in time in a given, 24 hr sleep-wake cycle, causing a temporarily displaced–delayed occurrence of sleep in the 24 hr cycle 2. , explains Dr. Judith Owens, director of pediatrics, Sleep Disorders Sleep Disorders Definition

Sleep disorders are a group of syndromes characterized by disturbance in the patient's amount of sleep, quality or timing of sleep, or in behaviors or physiological conditions associated with sleep.
 Clinic at Hasbro Children's Hospital A children's hospital is a hospital which offers its services exclusively to children. The number of children's hospitals proliferated in the 20th century, as pediatric medical and surgical specialties separated from internal medicine and adult surgical specialties. , Providence, R.I., in which your body's natural sleep and wake-up times are later than they should be. Put simply, you might be an extreme night owl. Or maybe you have insomnia--difficulty falling asleep. Get on a strict bedtime schedule (10 p.m. is ideal if you get up at 7 a.m.), and avoid buzz-causing drinks like cola Like Cola was an unsuccessful cola soft drink, introduced by the 7 Up company (while owned by Philip Morris), that appeared on the American market in 1982. Its slogan was "Made From The Cola Nut." Like Cola was one of the first attempts at a cola without caffeine. . If that doesn't work, talk to your mom about seeing a sleep specialist, who might check you for narcolepsy narcolepsy, a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and recurring unwanted episodes of sleep ("sleep attacks"). People with narcolepsy may abruptly fall asleep at almost any time, including while talking, eating, or even walking. , a condition in which people fall asleep at all hours of the day. As long as you don't drive, your problem isn't dangerous, just tiring.

I'm 13, and I feel lumps in my breasts. Is this normal? Do I have breast cancer?

Rest assured that you're probably very healthy--breast cancer almost never occurs in teens. Rest double-assured because you're obviously knowledgeable about your bod, and that will keep you abreast (pardon the pun) of your health issues. What you're most likely feeling are some of the many small glands that are naturally in your breast tissue, explains Dr. Elizabeth G. Stewart, gynecologist gynecologist /gy·ne·col·o·gist/ (-kol´ah-jist) a person skilled in gynecology.

gy·ne·col·o·gist
n.
A physician specializing in gynecology.
 and author of The V Book. But just one lump is probably a harmless cyst cyst, abnormal sac in the body, filled with a fluid or semisolid and enclosed in a membrane. Cysts can be congenital but are usually acquired, the most common locations being the skin and the ovaries.  from a breast duct that's temporarily plugged with fluid. This usually goes away on its own. Just to be safe, ask your doctor to check it out.

My bones pop sometimes. It's embarrassing. Can you help?

Some people pop more than others. The knuckles, knees, ankles, back and neck are fluid-filled. When you move, the joint stretches and gas is released creating a sound. A noise that's more of a snap than a crack may be a tendon that's moved out of place and is returning to its position. Is it painful? Then see a doc, says Dr. Edward G. McFarland, director, Adult Orthopaedics Division, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, is a highly regarded medical school and biomedical research institute in the United States. , Baltimore. No pain, no worry.

Stumper of your own? Send your question to Body Q&A, Girls' Life, 4517 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214, or e-mail it to questions@girlslife.com.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Monarch Avalon, Inc.
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2005, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Title Annotation:BODY Q&A; sleep disorders; lumpy breasts; bones that pop
Author:Gelbwasser, Margaret
Publication:Girls' Life
Article Type:Column
Geographic Code:1USA
Date:Oct 1, 2005
Words:421
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