I've struggled with sleep problems my whole life, and am certainly no stranger to bouts of insomnia. Not sleeping is more than a nuisance -- it can be overwhelmingly difficult to deal with, and it can impact every aspect of your life. So when it comes to sleep tips, I can assure you, I've tried them all. If you're having trouble getting your zzzs in, consider these steps:

• Eat dinner a few hours before bed, and don't eat too much. It's hard to sleep when you body is digesting and your stomach is uncomfortably full. And eating a nutritious diet never hurt either.
  
• Don't drink caffeine after 3pm.
  
• Don't nap -- go for a walk instead, and go to bed a bit earlier. If you must nap, make sure you nap before 3pm.
  
• Get some sort of exercise every day. This was key for me -- I rarely have trouble sleeping when I work out, but when I don't, I feel like I have extra energy at bed time.

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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