(CARLSBAD, CA) — Credited for decades with improving concentration, mood, memory, even our immune systems, sleep is now being touted as a way to avoid weight gain and premature aging.

The evidence is convincing. Research at the University of Chicago, led by Professor Eve Van Cauter, Ph.D., indicates that ongoing sleep deprivation causes blood glucose to spike higher than normal after breakfast. Simultaneously, insulin secretion (the hormone that allows sugar to be removed from the blood) slows down, which provides the body with greater opportunity to store the excess sugar as fat rather than process it as energy.

In a study of 11 young men, the rate at which sugar was cleared from the blood plummeted nearly 40 percent after six nights of reduced sleep. (Participants slept only four hours per night as compared to the recommended nine hours per night). Exacerbating the problem, sleep deprivation also elevates the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that increases activity of a key enzyme involved in fat storage.

Further study revealed that a lack of sleep also affects the nervous system and concentrations of thyroid hormone that can lead to conditions often associated with aging, such as high blood pressure.

Unfortunately, says Judi Sheppard Missett, founder and CEO of Jazzercise, many adults don't get an adequate amount of shut-eye. For example, Americans average less than seven hours a night on weekdays, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Obvious signs of sleep deprivation include feeling sleepy after lunch or while commuting, but they also can be subtler, such as irritability or an inability to concentrate.

How can you determine if you're getting enough sleep? The next time you're on vacation, toss out the alarm clock. Note the time you go to bed, and let your body wake naturally for several days. Average the number of hours you slept each night and voila - you've found your ideal "sleep number." For most of us, that number will be closer to nine-plus hours per night than today's norm of under seven.

Of course, you want your sleep to come easily and be restful. If you find yourself tossing and turning half the night, try these tips:

• Try to go to bed and to rise at approximately the same time each day.
• Use "white noise," such as a fan or soft music, to block out disturbing noises.
• Don't use your bedroom for work, exercise, television viewing, etc.. Your conditioned physical response to this room should be sleep.
• Find quiet ways to unwind before bed: read, meditate, or speak with a friend or family member. Avoid television, which tends to stimulate rather than relax.
• Avoid both caffeine and alcohol in the hours before bedtime.
• Don't eat a heavy or spicy meal right before bed, but do eat a light snack, preferably one with a little protein.
• Don't exercise too close to bedtime, but by all means exercise! A Stanford University study found that men and women who performed aerobic exercise regularly fell asleep 12 minutes faster and slept 42 minutes longer than their sedentary counterparts. For the most sleep-enhancing benefits, exercise in the late afternoon or early evening.

The following lunge is a good addition to any aerobic workout, as it strengthens the leg muscles and can be used in your warm up or cool down. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width apart, and your knees and toes turned outward slightly. Lift your body tall, relax your shoulders, and tighten your abdominal muscles for support. Bend your right knee and lunge to the right, as you swing your arms to the right.

Next, lunge to the left as you swing your arms in that direction. Continue lunging from side to side. Repeat the movements as desired, and alternate them with other favorite warm up or cool down exercises.

Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 6,800 instructors teaching 30,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

Courtesy of Jazzercise, Inc. - jazzercise.com