Health briefs: Sleep more to eat less

People of normal weight eat more when they sleep less, a small new study finds. Columbia University researchers discovered that sleep-deprived adults ate almost 300 calories more a day on average than those who got enough sleep. And the extra calories mostly came from saturated fat, which can spell trouble for waistlines. Women's diets seemed to be the most affected by lack of sleep. They ate an average of 329 more calories a day if they weren't well rested, while men ate 263 more calories on average.

Don't go against grain at breakfast

Eating breakfast cereal -- especially whole-grain cereal -- may reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, a new study suggests. "We found about a 20 percent decreased risk of developing hypertension in those who consumed whole-grain breakfast cereals at least seven times a week," said lead researcher Dr. Jinesh Kochar of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and the VA Boston Healthcare System. "Along with other healthy lifestyles, such as low sodium intake and physical activity, getting whole grain from this readily available source can cut down the risk of developing chronic hypertension," he said.

-- HealthDay