Daylight Savings Time is upon us (well, most of us -- if you live in Arizona or Indianapolis, or any other place that just doesn't acknowledge DST, I guess you aren't included). And while that means we have an extra hour of light at night, it also means that summer is approaching.

As the temperatures get warmer and warmer, many of us move our runs and walks later and later in the day to avoid the heat. However, if you're moving it too late, you could find yourself exercising in the dark.

And that's not entirely a bad thing -- if you have a clear, safe path, a nighttime outing could be a wonderful change of pace. However, it's important that you make sure you're being as safe as possible -- check out the gallery below for tips, or read up on all the advice that Active.com has to offer.

Feeling your tummy rumble just before you head to bed? Then step away from the kitchen and go to sleep.

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We've all spent time in a darkened kitchen staring into the fridge. For most of us, snacking late at night is less about hunger and more about boredom or habit.

But, for some, eating late at night is a problem. Believe it or not, there's actually a syndrome for out-of-control late-night eating. Then again, there's a syndrome for just about everything. It's appropriately called night eating syndrome (NES). For those who battle the issue, it's no laughing matter.

NES affects both people who are obese and those at a normal weight. A hormone is the suspected culprit behind this syndrome that affects four million Americans. If you just have nighttime munchies, then you likely don't have NES. If, however, you consume at least 35 percent of your calories late at night and it's becoming an issue for you, talk to your doctor.

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Recently, I wrote about how late night eating is no worse for your waistline than eating at any other time of day. That's true, and I'm glad that myth about late-night eating has finally been put to bed. However, eating at night isn't without a caveat.

For many people, eating late at night consists of snacking on popcorn, chips or other treats. If these treats are in moderation, that's not such a bad thing. But late-night eating often equals mindless eating, and that's never a good thing. Just think about it -- you're watching the latest episode of Lost and munching on chips straight from the bag. Before you know it, half the bag is gone and you don't even know how it happened.

Just because you have a green light to eat late at night doesn't mean you can eat mindlessly. Opt for healthier snacks such as cut veggies and hummus and always measure out your snacks so you don't eat more than you intend.

Do you have a holiday party this weekend? There's one worrisome myth you can put to bed. It's the one about eating at night and getting fat. Not true.

Researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine have debunked the myth that eating at night makes you fat. For the most part, they say, a calorie is a calorie is a calorie (though some foods are certainly more nutrient-dense than others). The calories you consume at night are no more likely to take up residence on your hips than calories you consume in the morning. So make wise holiday-party choices such as alternating alcoholic beverages with glasses of water and loading up on healthier options and keeping higher calorie treats to a minimum. Then, as Wayne and Garth would say, party on!

Now, if you chow down on sweets and fatty foods and drink too much egg nog, all bets are off. Calories still count, even if the time of day you eat them doesn't.

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The days are so short now. By the time I've helped my son complete his homework and get dinner on the stove, it's pitch black outside. When it's dark out when you start your workday and dark when you get home, it can take a toll on your well-being. There are things you can do, though, to keep your energy running high during the darker days of winter. Here they are:

• Sun exposure. This time of year, it's important to get outside and spend some time in the sun. Even if it's just a 10-minute walk during your lunch hour, the sunlight will do you good.
• Exercise. An active lifestyle helps to keep you energized. Commit to exercising every day. That doesn't mean you have to have an intense hour-long workout every day. You can vary your workout doing short 10-minute bursts one day, a moderate 30-minute workout the next, and an intense, longer session on other days.
• Nutrition. Certain foods can help boost your energy. Healthcastle has tips on foods that will help increase energy. AOL Health also has a list of fatigue-fighting foods.

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The days are getting shorter -- just one of the depressing signs of winter's impending doom. Runners, lack of light is no reason to stay home, but stay safe while you pound the pavement.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Dear Fitz, My mom has learned that if she doesn't get healthier, she'll get diabetes! She wants to lose weight and all that, but her job has her up all night! She has to get some sleep during the day. Are there any really good exercises you can do in a chair, or ones that aren't too tiring for the days? Please help! Jerry

Hi Jerry. What a thoughtful child you are! You're concerned for your mother and you have great reason to be. Diabetes is a very serious disease, and if she has the opportunity to avoid it, she should. The night shift sounds difficult, but to be honest ... so is the day shift. Mom just sleeps and works at opposite times than you do.

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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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Actress Minka Kelly may have said goodbye to once-boyfriend John Mayer but she won't say farewell to her curves, says the 28-year-old Friday Night Lights star.

"I've heard it all -- 'Lose weight, lose the booty.' It's not going anywhere though!" she says. Nope, there are no diets on the horizon for this beauty, who reports that she's a healthy girl who likes to eat.

Kelly wishes all women would love their bodies. "It's good for them to know that you don't have to be anorexic."

What about you -- do you love your curves?

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I want to eat at night. Always. And while I don't indulge all the time, I do nibble after the sun goes down more often than not. Fortunately, I've wised up to the ways of late-night snacking and rarely weigh myself down with heavy, calorie-laden, sugary treats. There was a time, yes there was, when my husband and I would tear into a bag of Doritos while watching TV. We'd savor big bowls of ice cream and crunch into yummy Oreo cookies too. Now, we do better. Fruit salads are our usual nighttime indulgence. Just had a great one last night -- strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, watermelon, grapes, and kiwi satisfied our urges, guilt-free.

Eating at night is OK -- if you do it right. So read on -- here are five tips for entertaining that midnight snack you want so badly.

• Before you eat, drink something. Thirst could be tricking you into thinking you're hungry. If you drink something -- make it two cups of water -- and still feel hungry, proceed to the following tips.

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Sometimes, it's just not possible to fall asleep at the exact moment we drop into bed at night. But if we practice letting go of waking, the process will become a lot easier for those who struggle with sleep.

Letting go of waking is a slow unwinding, says Rubin Naiman, author of Healing Night: The Science of Sleeping, Dreaming, and Awakening.

To get ready for sleep, we should do the following.

• Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol before bedtime.
  
  

• Consider a nightly snack containing complex carbs, like an apple or half of a multi-grain bagel.
  
  

• Create a wind-down ritual. Trade the computer and TV for a relaxing activity such as a bubble bath.

Whatever your method, says this sleep expert, give it time.

"Night doesn't fall; it gradually descends," Naiman says.

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A bad night's rest can wreak havoc on the next day. As a young person myself, sleep is often a footnote on a busy schedule for me. But there are some pretty compelling arguments for keeping better sleeping habits. One of the first steps for getting on that bandwagon is to be aware of the health threats.

Decreased alertness and performance during normal day activities is just one of those hazards from prolonged inadequate sleep. We're talking about a 32% reduction in daytime alertness from just an hour and a half less. These decreases can affect you even worse though. As the article states, extreme sleepiness during the day can damage memory and cognitive abilities!

So how do you combat bad sleeping habits? First of all, get on a schedule. We have internal clocks for a reason, and unless you keep a regular pattern it will remain in limbo. Working out is also another great suggestion from the article. I can personally attest to this one, having taken up cycling years ago for that very purpose! Another one is to avoid daytime sleeping. In other words, napping more than 20 or 30 minutes can affect your sleeping pattern for that night causing you to feel overly awake. This just barely touches all the information available, but you can find more here if you want to look into it.

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There's bad news on the research front for people working late shifts: working overnight has been linked to an increased risk for cancer. Specifically breast cancer and prostate cancer, but all cancers seem to rise when people head to work after dark. Experts aren't sure exactly why the two are linked but the thought is that it has something to do with a decreased melatonin production and a disruption of the body's natural circadian rhythms.

For now research on reducing the risk for 3rd shift employees is still being looked into, but suggestions are to keep a regular schedule and when you do sleep make sure it's in a darkened room.

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Blood pressure is usually monitored by a physician or even at home with a BP cuff, but one thing many of us have probably not done is to measure our blood pressure while asleep. What can that tell us?

According to a new report published in the medical journal The Lancet, nighttime blood pressure measurements are a better indicator of health risk than those readings taken when we are awake and alert.

In effect, the report stated that the best way to measure health risk as it pertains to BP levels is to take measurements during an entire 24-hour period. Over 7,500 participants on three continents were studied for this report, for an average time span of nearly 10 years.

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