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Health "Fall back" to sleep The time change can make you feel and think better. NEXT WEEKEND, most Americans “fall back” to standard time and gain an extra hour. How to spend it? “Use it to pay off your sleep debt,” urges Ralph Downey 111, chief of sleep medicine at Loma Linda (Calif) Univer sity Medical Center. “That extra hour of sleep will rejuvenate you both physi cally and mentally.” What the heck is a “sleep debt”? “That’s the difference between your body’s need for sleep and the actual amount of sleep you get,” Downey says. Next weekend, most of America returns to* standard time, gaming an hour. “So, if you require eight hours but only get six, your sleep debt is two hours.” Beyond fatigue and crabbiness, re search links chronic sleep deprivation with health problems, including: • Obesity; • Greater risk of developing cardio vascular disease and diabetes; and • Worse eye-steering coordination, which ups the odds you’ll crash your car. Tips for better sleep: • Avoid napping during the day. • A few hours before bedtime, steer clear of caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, heavy meals and exercise. • Relax with soothing rituals before going to bed. • Keep your bedroom dark, quiet and a little cool. □ Susan T. Lennon USA WEEKEND • Oct. 26-28,2007 Hjs . .. ■ 40% 155 Sj-.Xs' C-d f 5 r 'dnd .25% ■CUQ-R.it>S. . :hjn Snwt 3,3 if-ce 13 I" ‘ VN (I lut EM ~, NEW FLEISCHMANN'S. SAME GREAT BUTTERY TASTE. LESS EVERYTHING ELSE. *Per serving as compared to Smart Italance original flavor Smart Balance is a registered trademark of OFA Brands lm ■■ Wr rmm I' V jt i 9 i v r\ —<■—*