According to this article in Scientific American, by not getting enough sleep, a child’s risk of being overweight doubles and chances of later depression and anxiety increase. In two separate studies, young children who slept too little, were twice as likely to be overweight by age 3 and reported more anxiety, depressions and aggressive behavior as adults.

According to this article in Bangkok Post, just a few minutes of sleep can improve your memory and mental performance. Dr. Olaf Lahl at the University of Dusseldorf (Germany) conducted an experiment in which volunteers were asked to remember a list of 30 words. Then, the volunteers played solitaire for one hour. During the one hour period, some of the volunteers were allowed to take a 6 minute nap, while others were asked to stay awake. The experiment found that subjects who took a brief nap displayed “superior recall” when compared to subjects that stayed awake.

According to an article by Joy Bauer Nutrition, the following bedtime snacks can create feelings of calm and sleepiness. See full article.

The article suggests the snacks to be “no more than 200 calories and should be eaten at least 30 minutes prior to bed”

For Adults
- 6-8 oz container of non-fat, flavored yogurt topped with 2 tablespoons low-fat granola cereal
- Sliced apple with 1-2 teaspoons natural peanut butter
- 3 cups low-fat popcorn – sprinkled with optional 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

For Teens
- One cup healthy cereal with skim milk
- Low-fat granola bar
- Scoop of vanilla or strawberry low-fat ice cream

For Children
–1/2 cup low-fat vanilla pudding
–1/2 banana with 1-2 teaspoons peanut butter
–One cup skim milk with a bunch of grapes (or other fruit)