By Diane Mapes
MSNBC

You’re lying in bed, just starting to wake up, when you realize you can’t move. Your chest is heavy — like somebody’s sitting on it — and you’re overwhelmed with a feeling of dread.

Suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, you see something move. It’s a spider. No, two spiders. No three, four, a dozen or more. They’re big as walnuts and slowly crawling up the bed posts of your bed and onto the blankets, scuttling ever closer towards your paralyzed body.

Sound like a cross between “Fear Factor” and "The Twilight Zone?"

If you're suffering from insomnia you may want to spend less time in bed, according to Harvard Health Publications.

"People with insomnia often find that spending less time in bed promotes more restful sleep and helps make the bedroom a welcome sight instead of a torture chamber."

In addition to spending less time under the sheets, Harvard Health Publications also recommends relaxation techniques. Here's how to perform what they call progressive muscle relaxation.

ATLANTA - People who sleep fewer than six hours a night — or more than nine — are more likely to be obese, according to a new government study that is one of the largest to show a link between irregular sleep and big bellies.

The study also linked light sleepers to higher smoking rates, less physical activity and more alcohol use.

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By Serena Gordon
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Children who wet their beds frequently have elevated levels of a heart hormone that helps regulate levels of fluid around the heart, a new study finds.

THURSDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults with sleep problems, pain, diabetes and respiratory problems are more likely to take naps during the day, a U.S. study finds.

SUNDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- Many older adults don't get enough sleep, which can increase the risk of serious health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, says the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

While sleep patterns do change as people age, disturbed sleep and waking up tired every day aren't a normal part of aging.

WEDNESDAY, April 23 (HealthDay News) -- A quick, self-administered test to identify surgical patients who may have potentially life-threatening obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been developed by a team of Canadian anesthesiologists.

People with OSA experience repeated episodes of breathing cessation while they sleep. The disorder affects 2 percent to 26 percent of the general population.

TUESDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Surgery to remove nasal obstructions improves quality of life for people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and reduces symptoms of nasal blockages, according to a study by researchers in Taiwan.

THURSDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- Children with migraine headaches are more likely to have sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and lack of sleep, than children with non-migraine headaches, new research shows.

THURSDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- Common job-related problems such as conflicts with bosses or co-workers are more likely than long hours, night shifts or job insecurity to cause poor sleep.