Noreen Jaramillo - KFOX Morning News Anchor/Reporter

If you have a teenager, you know how tough it can be to make sure they get enough sleep. Schoolwork, band, sports and other activities often infringe on sleep time. A new study shows that kids who get headaches lose even more sleep than those who do not. That is because headaches and sleep problems tend to go hand in hand.

Playing guitar is a type of therapy for 17-year-old Katelyn Wilson. But her music stopped when she was plagued by chronic daily headaches.

"I would never play my guitar because it hurt," said Wilson.

Katelyn's constant headaches made it hard to concentrate on school work. The headaches also kept her from getting a decent night's sleep.

"I'd either wake up with a headache or go to bed with a headache. It was awful," said Wilson.

“Children who have chronic daily headaches have a 67-percent chance of also having a sleep disturbance," said Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Lenora Lehwald.

Dr. Lehwald said it is a 20-percent chance for kids with headaches that come and go. Now, it sure seems that, in Katelyn's case, the headaches cause her sleep problems. Maybe so, but it is sort of like the "chicken and the egg thing." Headaches may cause difficulty sleeping, but lack of sleep makes the headaches worse.

"Until we address the sleep disorder, we're not going to have very much luck in trying to improve the headache disorder," said Lehwald.

Dr. Lehwald recommends good sleep hygiene, which includes using the bedroom for sleep only, not for TV or video games; having a bedtime routine, and having a consistent bed and wake-up time each day. She also helped Katelyn break the headache cycle with prescription medications that work slowly over time. Now, Katelyn is resting better, with fewer headaches.

Dr. Lehwald says if your child gets headaches, you can avoid having them turn into chronic daily headaches by making sure he or she gets enough sleep. She also said it is important not to take over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen every day. Daily doses can make headaches worse. Talk to your doctor to find the medication that works best for your child.

If you would like more medical news, visit our health partners Web sites by clicking on each link:

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

The Mayo Clinic

Baylor College of Medicine