Be honest. How often do you get the recommended sevenish hours of sleep? A new reader-tested diet success story may be just the incentive you need to start going to bed (and staying in bed) more regularly. These real women tested out how getting more shut-eye -- without changing your diet or fitness routine -- can help shed pounds. It's as easy as getting a few extra winks. One woman lost 15 pounds! Read more on Sleep For Weight Loss from AOL Health.

Do you think your sleep habits affect your weight loss?

I have been sleeping in ecstasy for the past few weeks. Yes. I have a Sleep Number Bed. Not only do I have a Sleep Number Bed, but I have the new kind with Memory Foam on top. Mmmmmm. It's amazing. In fact, I didn't realize how poorly I was sleeping until I got this bed.

I value sleep. I'm a fitness trainer, fitness enthusiast, mother of two and writer of far too many things. I need to sleep, and I need to sleep well in order to accomplish the ridiculous amount of tasks that fill my days. Are you familiar with this insane style of living? I bet many of you are.

Sleep is such a powerful tool. In fact, it's a requirement for professionals and parents and growing children too. Think of it this way. Exhausted people don't work out. Those running on fumes struggle to achieve the bare minimums of each day and then toss and turn at night, unable to get to sleep quickly. Sleepless people tend to eat poorly and gain weight as a result as well. The bottom line? Quality sleep is a crucial component for vitality, fitness and success.

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Several of my nieces and nephews are in college now. This summer, while getting things ready for their kids' apartments, my sisters went out and purchased new mattresses and furniture. I thought they were a little nuts for spending that money. When I think back to my first college apartment, my roommate and I had a couch we bought for $10, an entertainment center we found on the side of the road, and a chair we found abandoned at the apartment complex. After reading this article about bedbugs, however, I think my sisters did the right thing by not letting their kids go garbage picking for furniture.

College campuses and dormitories are like a luxury resort for these blood-sucking little critters. Students frequently visit each other's rooms (possibly transporting little friends as they do so). Universities like Texas A&M, Ohio State, Stanford, and the University of Florida have had to deal with outbreaks of bedbugs.

Bedbugs are hard to spot. Waking up with small, red welts is one tell-tale sign. You may also spot tiny black or reddish-brown spots on your sheets.

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Want permission to eat before you go to bed? Here it is: About 90 minutes before you turn in for the night, head to the kitchen and make yourself a snack. Make it light and around 200 calories and you won't head into dangerous eating territory. You will relax your muscles, quiet your spinning mind, and rev up the sleep-inducing hormones serotonin and melatonin -- if you eat one of these 10 picks.

Bananas. Bananas contain serotonin, melatonin, and the muscle-relaxing magnesium.

Chamomile Tea. Chamomile has a mild sedating effect.

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Suffering from allergies? Here's a simple solution that might really please you: Don't make your bed in the morning.

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I just received this press release for a SLEEP promotion, and as I'm a huge fan of sleep, I thought I'd pass it along. I really do value sleep and thought that this constituted a good enough reason for me to take a nap. Work keeps me up to late, and the kids wake me up far too early. If you're like me and just need a great excuse to get some extra Zzzz, read on, grow inspired, and then conk out. Maybe you can even participate and win yourself a fancy bed!

--SUMMER IS FOR SLEEPING? EXHAUSTED AMERICANS CHALLENGED TO SLEEP-IN ON LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR!

Sleep Number by Select Comfort® Kicks-Off Sleep-in Challenge on First Day of Summer to Help Combat Mortality Causing Illnesses - (June 5, 2008) –Just one more hour of sleep each day can help extend your life by reducing mortality causing illnesses including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, respiratory disorders and high blood pressure, according to new researchSo, instead of packing more activities into your day, the sleep experts at Select Comfort (NASDAQ: SCSS), the nation's leading bed retailer and maker of the Sleep Number bed, challenge Americans to adopt better sleep habits by signing a pledge here to sleep one more hour each day beginning June 20, the first day of summer and the "longest" day of the year. All those who pledge are entered to win a free Sleep Number bed and sent valuable sleep and lifestyle tips to help them achieve deeper, restorative sleep to improve physical and mental health and performance, which might extend their life and increase their bedtime comfort.

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FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

There's something about taking action that feeds the soul. Maybe your action is delivering a meal to a friend with a new baby. Maybe it's cleaning up the shores at the beach one weekend, pitching in and helping a neighbor move into a new house, or driving a special someone to an important medical appointment. Reaching out makes a difference -- it's often all our spirits need in the lift department.

I've got an spirit-lifting assignment for you today, one that might just save a few lives.

This task comes from a spunky cancer survivor who calls herself Miss Melanoma. Her goal -- which she hopes becomes your goal -- is to get a surgeon general's warning in every window at tanning bed salons. Here's all you need to do: Visit Miss Melanoma's website at MissMelanoma.com, click on Sign our Petition, and read all about the importance of skin cancer awareness -- did you know melanoma is an epidemic and the rate of occurrence is rising faster than any other cancer? Once you've absorbed the humbling facts that surround melanoma, kindly move on and sign your name. It's that simple, yet so critical.

Once you're done making your difference for the day, I recommend you take a spin through Miss Melanoma's website, which includes an inspirational blog, artwork, articles, and a shop too. You're sure to be amazed by the grace, determination, and humor of this young woman who lost her little toe to cancer and finds herself wondering: Am I entitled to a 10 percent discount on pedicures?

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What were Ellen and Carmen Electra doing in bed together on Tuesday's Ellen Degeneres Show? They were, well, exercising.

With Carmen in her romantic, vixen-like bed and Ellen in her Hello Kitty-themed bed, the pair worked up a sweat while practicing routines from Electra's new DVD, Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease: Vegas Strip. The duo did a few leg lifts and some lunges from their side-by-side beds and if laughter counts as a workout, they surely got a good one.

Wanna see a video clip? Here it is.

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How many of you grew up getting a snack before bed? Whether it was because of tradition or more like a bribe to get you to go to sleep, many of us were raised with a little treat before bed and now, as adults, it can be a tough habit to break.

Unfortunately, eating right before you hit the sack can sabotage a healthy eating plan by adding extra calories into your diet (calories that cause you to exceed your daily allowance). If you can't seem to break the midnight snack habit, take a look at these suggestions that may help you wean yourself off the ritual.

Some of the tips include brushing your teeth right after dinner, as a clean mouth may keep you from snacking, avoiding TV in the evening before bed, as all of the food commercials could make you crave something to eat even if you're not hungry and going to be earlier because hopefully you'll end up asleep before you begin to feel hungry once your dinner has digested.

Have you got any other tips to help those trying to break the midnight snack habit?

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There are few things that feel as good as waking up after a long, deep sleep, feeling refreshed and renewed. In this life, this world, sleep always lags behind in our list of priorities. For me, work and my social life are two things that take away from my slumber, and even though I always (if possible) make time for a solid 8 hours of sleep, sometimes the stress of life keeps me up.

Mark's Daily Apple has a number of suggestions that you can do right now to ensure a decent sleep, including:

• Eat a light dinner. And make sure to eat a few hours before bed or your digestive system might keep you up.
• Have a glass of wine -- but not more than that. Alcohol can help lull you to sleep but if you drink too much, it can backfire and keep you up
• Eat some nuts. The magnesium will help with your slumber
• Write. Jotting down your feelings can help relieve stress
• Do something mindless before bed like watching TV.
  

If all else fails, I find a cup of warm milk sweetened with just a touch of honey helps. How about you?

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Here's a FitList sure to appeal to those of us who can't seem to crawl out of bed without that morning haze about us. I don't know about you, but especially around this time of year it takes me forever to finally climb out from under the sheets. But there are a few exercises available which help wake up the body and get you more energized.

The aptly named Bed Pretzel technique is similar to a runner's stretch in bed. Here's how they describe it: "Lie flat on your back in bed, bend one knee and draw it close to your chest. Then slowly bring the entire bent leg across the body to the opposite side, gently twisting the spine." This will help wake up your spinal cord.

Everyone is familiar with the Bend and Reach. As pictured, all you have to do is get out of bed (the hardest part) and reach one arm over your head while stretching out your side. Be wary though: if you haven't ever done something like this then it could be easy to overdo it and hurt yourself. Otherwise these wake-up calls could energize your mornings better than that double shot espresso! Read here for more tips.

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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?

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Morning hours aren't my best friend. When the sun begins to rise, I slither as far under my quilts and sheets as humanly possible, like an earthworm working its way deep underground. I'm not a morning person. What can I say?

However, I've found it's usually the best time to get in a good workout. As the day goes on I've been known to toss aside a much needed session at the gym or park for any reason but the right reason. Typically, I'm worn out by evening and convinced that excercising my body will only prove punishing and keep me up way past my preferred bedtime. As you can see, I'm not the most disciplined but I'm always looking to try new methods to ensure I get some type of physical workout on a consistent basis.

This Yoga in Bed DVD sounds like a good fit for a person like me, and can be done in the morning to get your day going or at night. The nighttime workout is said to help you sleep better and fall asleep faster. The greatest part about having a DVD like this on hand is you never have to get out of your pajamas and all 20 asanas can be done in the comfort of your bed. Created by Edward Vilga, the DVD can be purchased at Amazon.com for $9.99, which shouldn't put a big dent in anyone's pocket. Now I just need to move the TV into the bedroom...

via Cool Hunting

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