New research may explain how we're able to get through the day after losing a night of sleep.

A study from the national institute on drug abuse finds a night with no sleep boosts dopamine production in the brain -- helping us feel more awake.

Researchers used brain imaging to measure the amount of dopamine produced by a group of people who rested normally and another group who stayed awake all night.

Although the increased dopamine helped the sleep deprived group feel more awake -- it was not enough to help them perform well on a series of cognitive tasks.

In other medical news…

A new study finds a little known kind of physical therapy is more effective in treating chronic back pain than massage therapy or exercise.

The Alexander Technique is an educational program that teaches patients to improve their posture and muscular coordination.

British researchers found patients who took Alexander lessons and exercised felt less pain than those who used massage therapy or exercise alone.