Cut 248 Calories with This Schedule Switch

Here's a neat way to cut calories and help keep your pants size stable. Just pull on your PJs an hour earlier.

Why? Because research suggests that people who turn in a little earlier typically eat about 248 fewer calories per day compared with night owls.

Early to Bed, Better Body
In a study, people with later bedtimes not only ate more calories later at night compared with the early-to-bed folks, but the night owls also tended to be heavier. In addition, the people with later bedtimes were drawn more often to poor food choices. They ate twice the junk food as the early-to-bed crowd and ate half the fruits and vegetables. Researchers think that a late sleep-wake cycle may encourage the packing on of pounds because it throws the body out of its natural circadian rhythm of sleeping at night and eating during the day, when bodies are more active. Doing the opposite -- eating at night and sleeping more during the day -- may boost weight gain by altering appetite, eating behavior, and metabolism. (Related: Find out how to get more beauty rest.)

How the Pounds Add Up
Although the daily 248 calorie difference was not a huge number, researchers figure that it could amount to about 2 pounds of weight gain a month if it's not countered by an equal amount of calorie-burning. The trouble is, ramping up the physical activity gets pretty tough if you're always tired from late nights. And the night owls tended to have poorer sleep, too. All the more reason to hit the sheets early and become a morning person. Get on the path to healthier sleep habits with these tips:

• Check your plate. Avoid these foods that will keep you tossing and turning.
• Improve your prep. Follow this list of bedtime do's and dont's.
• Make a plan. Follow this Deep Sleep Plan created by doctors.

Use this muscle-relaxation technique to soothe your mind and ease your body before bed.