(August 5, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Time spent asleep, particularly in a phase called rapid eye movement (REM), can influence the risk for becoming overweight among young people, according to research published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Here are some tips to help improve sleep:

.       Avoid taking naps during the day and establish regular times to go to bed and wake up.

.       Avoid stimulants, including nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol, close to bedtime.

.       Exercising during the day can help you sleep at night, but avoid exercising vigorously in the evening.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh monitored the sleep of over 300 children aged 7 to 17 for three nights using polysomnography, a tool that identifies the presence of sleep and its phases. They then looked at whether the children's sleep patterns were related to their weight for height ratio.

Children of normal weight slept an average of 22 minutes longer than those who were overweight. They also spent more time in REM sleep. Overall, one hour less of sleep a night translated to double the risk of being overweight, while one less hour of REM sleep a night translated to three times the risk.

Today's research highlights the importance of adequate sleep for children and teens. While it's not clear why, insufficient sleep may place them at increased risk for being overweight.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.