Thursday, April 15, 2010

Sweet Dreams

Well, this might explain why I've been so hungry the past few days. According to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition sleep restriction could factor into obesity. Researchers found that normal-weight young men took in 22 percent more calories when they'd gotten four hours of sleep the night before compared to when they slept a full night. To investigate, scientists studied sleep, eating, and energy expenditure in 12 healthy young men across two 48-hour sessions. After the night of short sleep, the researchers discovered that the men took in 22 percent more calories, on average, than when they were allowed to sleep for eight hours. The average calorie increase was about 560. Researchers said the findings prove that people need to do their best to get an adequate amount of sleep so their bodies can function properly.

It's perhaps interesting to note that I've been craving a lot of sweet treats and salty chips in recent weeks, which is about the same amount of time that I've spent several sleepless nights tossing and turning due to pollen-related allergies and/or stress. But if you're like me, it's hard to force myself back into bed when I'm feeling wired. Fortunately, Mayo Clinic has a list of tips to help rock us all back to sleep.

* Don't eat or drink large amounts before bedtime. Eat a light dinner at least two hours before sleeping. If you're prone to heartburn, avoid spicy or fatty foods, which can make your heartburn flare and prevent a restful sleep. Also, limit how much you drink before bed. Too much liquid can cause you to wake up repeatedly during the night for trips to the toilet.
* Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable. Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Adjust the lighting, temperature, humidity and noise level to your preferences. Use blackout curtains, eye covers, earplugs, extra blankets, a fan or white-noise generator, a humidifier or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.


Good luck getting that shut-eye and here's to sweet dreams tonight!

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