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?

Last night, I went to sleep around 11:30 only to wake up at 3:00 AM. Darn insomnia. For me, sleep is as elusive as the Loch Ness monster. It's a bummer, too, because sleep is so important for health. Not only does it directly affect your energy level, a good night's rest can also help you manage your weight, and research now shows that skipping sleep can harden your arteries.

If you're like me and sleep doesn't come easy, try these tips:

• Exercise regularly, but not within three hours of bedtime.
  
• Don't eat or drink a lot before bed.
• Stick to a schedule, and try to go to bed at roughly the same time each night.
• Make your bedroom restful by turning out all the lights, keeping the TV and radio off and maybe investing in a white noise machine (or using something like a quiet fan or air purifier for white noise).
• Relax before bedtime with a bath, a book or anything else that calms you. Avoid the computer and TV right before bed as they can be stimulating.

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Do you regularly spend your nights sawing logs while your partner quietly struggles to not suffocate your with the pillow? Well, there's at least one good thing about snoring: It burns more calories than regular plain old silent sleeping.

According to experts, a loud snorer burns, on average, 2,000 calories a day while at rest, while the slight snorer burns a mere 1,626. Though I'm guessing that's little consolation to said partner.

Before you defend your noisy sleeping habits as good for your waistline, keep in mind that snoring is actually more likely to cause weight gain. According to a study out of England, "Changes in body weight are associated with changes in sleep-disordered breathing severity. It is unclear whether weight gain is simply a cause of sleep-disordered breathing or whether sleep-disordered breathing may be associated with alterations in energy metabolism that, in turn, lead to weight gain."

The natural conclusion? Stop snoring. Oh, it's not that simple? Dang.

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You're eating right and exercising, but that stubborn scale won't budge. Are you making one of these mistakes?

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There is no shortage of various styles on the market with new-fangled designs and supports. I don't own one, but I make it a habit to give hammocks a whirl whenever I have the opportunity. I still remember lounging in one with my husband on the Big Island of Hawaii under the moonlight at the Hilton Waikoloa Village resort after completing the Kona Marathon earlier that day in 2002.

But certainly one does not need to complete a marathon, visit an island or stay at a resort to make use of this lovely time-tested practice. I recently had the opportunity to make use of a hammock with my daughter in my brother-in-law's back yard in Northern California. It was the traditional woven style that allows gravity to force all of your muscles into relaxation. They are the best kind, I think. Since then, I've been scouting my yard for a good spot. I think I've found one in between two solid trees in the back. Just in time to enjoy the pleasant Fall temps and foliage.

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Stress can certainly take a toll on our health; Jennie Garth is no exception. The actress is back on 90210, showing us what her popular character, Kelly Taylor, is like as an adult. But earlier in the year things weren't exactly sunny in Garth's life.

Within a span of six months, her daughter became ill (and was later diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis) and her father passed away. Garth said "I didn't think about my looks or my weight or my body or anything." She goes on to say that she didn't exercise, eat healthfully, and that she gained weight and inches as a result.

As much as we all hope our lives stay stable and uncomplicated, everyone is bound to hit a rough patch now and then. And, unfortunately, many of us will encounter periods of extreme stress, like Jennie Garth did. It's definitely hard to continue focusing on your health when everything else seems to be falling apart. But that is the most important time to take care of yourself.

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I was watching the Olympics the other day and saw a piece where a reporter went and received acupuncture treatments. It was interesting to hear about this particular practitioner who was influential in acupuncture's acceptance into Western culture. After the piece, the reporter mentioned that Nastia Liukin, gold medalist in the women's all-around gymnastics competition, has weekly acupuncture treatments.

She's not alone. Acupuncture is widely used as a method to aid and speed healing from sports-related injuries. Though the thought of multiple metal needles being inserted into your body is daunting, to say the least, proponents of the traditional form of medicine sing its praises. In addition to aiding in healing, acupuncture is said to help athletes by boosting energy, improving circulation, and ensuring the body gets the most out of nutrients. In addition, acupuncture is said to help improve the quality of sleep and boost immunity.

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Are you envious of your bed partner, who drifts off to sleep quickly while you toss and turn? Do you find yourself lying awake at night, despite your best efforts to fall asleep? You aren't alone. Insomnia is a common condition that steals precious sleep from those who need it, and a lack of sleep can have a serious impact on your health, including weight gain.

The first step in treating insomnia is identifying the cause. Forbes has an excellent gallery to help you do just that. Their 14 reasons you aren't sleeping covers topics like:

• relationship trouble
• co-sleeping with children
• pregnancy
• being a woman
• medications
• sleep disorders
• stress
• poor sleeping habits or environment
• worry
• age
• heart disease
• depression
  

If this sounds like you, you might already be on your road to recovery. Try and make some lifestyle or environmental adjustments, and if that doesn't work, speak to your doctor to see if your health may be part of the cause. While you're at it, visit AOL Health to see what they're saying about sleep.

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I adopted my son a year ago. Since then, I've been consistently amazed at how little time I have for myself nowadays. But it's important to take care of my health, my stress level, and even my appearance. I'm a better and happier person when I care for myself -- and, in turn, that makes me a better mom.

Whether you're a mom like me or if you're just bogged down with work and other commitments, don't forget to take time for yourself. Self Magazine compiled reader tips for taking care of yourself. They're quick, easy, and time-saving tips that help you remember to nurture yourself as much as you care for everyone and everything else in your life. Some of Self's favorite tips are:

• Keep track of the servings of water you drink by putting bangles on one wrist and transferring one bracelet to the other wrist with each water serving. You could employ the same idea with marbles in a glass.
• Find a role model. Whether you pick a professional athlete, a celebrity, or a friend -- finding someone who's fitness ethic you admire will help you stay on track with your own goals.
• Get your zzz's. If you're sleep-deprived (as many of us are) try to take at least one night a week to really catch up. (Disclaimer: If you have insomnia, this isn't a good idea -- a consistent sleep schedule is a healthier plan.)

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Do you have trouble sleeping sometimes? Yeah. Me too. Standard recommendations for getting a good night's rest include going to bed at the same time each night, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, exercising regularly, and avoiding daytime naps. It's also good to make your bedroom a restful environment -- not for working or other activities, just for sleeping. Also, avoid using the computer and watching TV just before bed.

But what works for one person, doesn't work for everyone. In my case, it's almost necessary to sleep with the TV on. The main reason I can't sleep at night is I just can't turn my brain off enough to rest. Leaving the TV set on some old re-runs allows me to distract myself enough from worrying but yet not pay too much attention. That way, I'm able to get to sleep. It's odd, and it's completely opposite of the typical suggestions, but it's what works for me.

BBC Health users submitted some tips for beating insomnia. The tips include playing Sudoku, counting backward from 300, and writing down everything that's on your mind. They certainly aren't the most common recommendations, but they must work for the people who sent in the idea. How about you? What are your tips for a better night's sleep?

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It's free, it takes no skill or education, and it's one of the #1 things we can all do to improve our health, yet we never seem to get enough of it. Sleep! Despite all those other qualities, sleep, for millions of Americans, is also one of the most elusive things due to time constraints, stress, and any other number of things that keep us from the getting the deep restful repose we all so desperately want and need.

Making the commitment to make sleep a priority is only the first step -- after that, beating all the sneaky obstacles (like finding the time and "getting in the mood" for sleep) becomes a necessity. Follow these tips to beat whatever sleep problems you are facing and get the best sleep possible, and hence, the best results from your healthy lifestyle and fitness efforts!

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I struggle with bouts of insomnia. Right now I'm in a phase where, as exhausted as I am, I'm up through all hours of the night. Then, after I finally catch a few hours of sleep I wake up and walk through the day like a zombie. It's a crossroads of sorts; I'm either going to snap out of it and get back to my normal sleep pattern or I'm going to go into what I call "full-fledged insomnia" and get to the point where I'm not tired at all and can stay up all day and night. It's a frustrating and unhealthy disorder that seeps into all corners of your life. Several years ago my doctor prescribed sleep meds for me, but I had an unusual and uncomfortable reaction. Though my doctor assures me there are other medications that would work better for me, I've been scared of trying them. I choose to manage my insomnia by environment, exercise, and diet. Usually it works, though like right now my insomnia still can rear its ugly head from time to time.

Many celebrities have fessed up to having insomnia, too. With their fast-paced and high-stress lives, it's no wonder. Most recently, Heath Ledger died from an accidental overdose of a combination of sleep meds, an antihistamine, and two pain relievers. In the weeks prior to his death he had openly discussed how desperate he was for sleep.

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How dark is your room at night? For me, not so much. I'm a little afraid to admit it but I might be, um, just the teensiest bit afraid of the dark ... hey, you, stop laughing! I'm serious. It goes back to my childhood when I watched the episode of Little House on the Prairie where Mary woke up and discovered she was blind. Ever since then, I need to have a little bit of light in my room when I sleep so that when I wake up, I can see something and prove to myself that, yet again, I woke up with my eyesight intact.

But as it turns out, you--and I--should be sleeping in total darkness most nights. It not only helps maintain a deep sleep but it can reduce our cancer risk too, according to Dr. Mercola. Why? It all comes down to your levels of Melatonin, which is affected by how much light you see. Melatonin, in turn, plays a role in Estrogen secretion, which plays a role in cancer, particularly breast cancer. In fact, totally blind women have a 36% less chance of developing cancer than those who aren't blind or who are visually impaired.

Dang. I guess this means I have to give up the nightlight.

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Child-rearing is a sticky subject: one that will drive people to shout, scream and preach about the right and wrong ways to do it. I don't believe anyone has the perfect answer. But that doesn't stop people from debating it! Articles like this pose a big question for parenting. Is it effective to let a child "cry it out" for a better night sleep? Or should parents be co-sleeping with their babies?

One method points to something called "ferberizing." Many people may consider this tough love, but Dr. Ferber begs to differ. He states that leaving a baby to cry by itself is not recommended by his system. Instead, he suggests using his time chart for crying only when all other possible solutions have been exhausted. In other words, "ferberizing" should be used to try and fix severe sleeping problems with a baby.

Other people don't identify with his methods. Instead, they co-sleep with their child. Call it attachment parenting if you will, but this basically is the opposite of Ferber's system. Parents and baby share a bed, but they say parents need to have a clearly defined end for this stage. Controversies aside, this seems like an argument that can't be solved using one definite practice over another. As any parent will tell you, every child is different and should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

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After this past week, I'm guessing that many of you are probably exhausted. All the gift giving, eating, traveling and go-go attitude can get anybody off kilter.

What you need, of course, is sleep. Sleep should be part of the holiday season -- so you don't get lethargic -- but instead it's what is craved by many holiday goers after not planning rest in good enough amounts.

But with New Year's Day coming up soon, you should start planning now to ensure you get enough sleep this weekend and next week as well. Want some tips? Here you go:

• Take time to relax in the evening. Giving your brain time to calm down before bed will help you sleep better.
• Stick to your regular sleep/wake schedule. Customary pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath or a few minutes of reading, can also help ensure you get a good sleep.
• Plan ahead for holiday activities. Set aside time to wrap gifts, decorate the house, or plan your holiday menu.
• If you become drowsy while driving, pull off into a rest area and take a short nap -- about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Don't eat a heavy meal before bedtime. This can cause heartburn or discomfort that can make it difficult to fall asleep or disturb your sleep.
• When you're at evening holiday parties, don't have too much alcohol or caffeine. Both can inhibit your normal sleep pattern.

[Thanks, Robert]

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