Want to lose those extra pounds? Sleep it off

Ahhhh ... sleep. One of my favorite pastimes. No, I'm not just lazy -- I've embraced the restorative power of sleep, which I've heard can have a positive effect on everything from the shininess of your hair to the smoothness of your skin to your risk of getting sick and so on. So I'm no surprised to read this, which makes the bold claim that sleep can help you lose weight. Okay, let's clarify. It won't help you burn more calories, but it helps in other ways, such as by balancing your hormones.

Here's something I didn't know. Leptin and ghrelin, two hormones in our bodies with help regulate our appetite, can be influenced by how much or how little we sleep. So when we aren't well-rested, these hormones will influence our appetite, making us feel hungry when we're not. Wow - I have totally noticed that after a late night and now I know why!

Being overweight can also affect our sleep negatively by increasing our chances of developing sleep apnea.

I'm going to bed early tonight. What about you?