The best bedtime snacks are high in protein, fiber, complex carbs, minerals, and the amino acid tryptophan. To ensure a good night’s sleep, be sure to eat a light snack about 90 minutes before your anticipated bedtime.

The best bedtime snacks that help you sleep:

- Cottage cheese and fruit.

- A string cheese and a few whole grain crackers.

- A small serving of salmon and brown rice.

- A bowl of oatmeal with almonds.

- Yogurt, fruit, and wheat germ.

- 6-8 oz container of non-fat, flavored yogurt topped with 2 tablespoons low-fat granola cereal

- Peanut butter on whole grain toast.

- One egg and a piece of whole grain toast.

- A fruit smoothie with protein powder.

- A small bowl of high fiber cereal and milk.

- A handful of raw cashews, peanuts, or other nuts.

- Half an avocado and whole grain chips.

- Half a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread.

- 3 tablespoons of hummus and veggies or a few whole grain chips.

- 2 tablespoons of cashew butter and celery decorated with raisins.

- Rice cakes and cashew or peanut butter.

- Sliced apple with 1-2 teaspoons natural peanut butter Read The Full Story…

Physiologic studies suggest that sleep constraint has metabolic effects that predispose to weight gain. The authors investigated the association between self-reported usual sleep duration and subsequent weight gain in the Nurses’ Health Study.

Study:
The 68,183 women who reported habitual sleep duration in 1986 were followed for 16 years. In analysis adjusted for age and body mass index, women sleeping 5 hours or less gained 1.14 kg (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.49, 1.79) more than did those sleeping 7 hours over 16 years, and women sleeping 6 hours gained 0.71 kg (95% CI: 0.41, 1.00) more. The relative risks of a 15-kg weight gain were 1.32 (95% CI: 1.19, 1.47) and 1.12 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.19) for those sleeping 5 and 6 hours, respectively. The relative risks for incident obesity (body mass index: >30 kg/m(2)) were 1.15 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.26) and 1.06 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.11).

• These associations remained significant after inclusion of important covariates and were not affected by adjustment for physical activity or dietary consumption. These data suggest that short sleep duration is associated with a modest increase in future weight gain and incident obesity. Read The Full Story…

“A power nap is a short nap, normally between 10 and 30 minutes long, taken in the middle of the day in order to reinvigorate and refresh you for the next part of the day.”

If you not have time for a full-out siesta but even naps as short as 20 minutes can make a big difference in your energy level, ability to concentrate, and general outlook. Scientists have long researched the positive effects of napping, and now there is growing evidence to suggest that power napping can increase productivity levels and even uplift your spirit.
A powerful way to combat a daily fatigue is by learning how to effectively power nap during the day to recharge and go into round two with full energy.

If you want to take a nap at work, I suggest trying a few of the following tips:

- Announce your nap to yourself and your colleagues. Just closing your eyes for a few guilty moments will not cut it – you have to give yourself permission to nap to get the most out of it.
– Get comfortable. Most sleeping difficulties are psychosomatic, not physical, so if you are having trouble falling asleep, consider reevaluating the environment you’re sleeping in. An environment conducive to napping is quiet, dark and free from interruptions. If you sleep on a floor at work, keep a mat (like a yoga mat that rolls up) at work, and possibly a pillow and blanket, if that makes you more comfortable. Other tools of the trade to consider – eye shades, ipod or walkman with restful music, or specific MP3 files designed to help you wind down and fall asleep.

– Collect your equipment. Blankets, pillows and, where possible, a foldout bed will ensure you get the most out of the rest, and help you separate naptime from the rest of the dayMake sure you’re not worried about waking upSome people wake up naturally, but if you are worried, make sure you have an alarm. It is difficult to enjoy your 40 winks if you keep getting up to check the time after 15, 20 and 30 winks

- Eat rightAvoid consuming caffeine, fat, carbohydrates or sugar in the hours before your nap as these foods make it harder to get to sleep. Instead, try to consume protein and calcium. In an ideal scenario, drinking a glass of warm milk about an hour before you plan to nap will encourage you to sleep. Read The Full Story…