In our fast-paced world, sleep is often the first sacrifice of overworked, busy individuals. But getting too little sleep has implications for our health — including our waistlines.

The risks to a woman and her baby if she's obese have been well-established, but having sleep apnea ups the stakes even more. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be treated.

Want to lose weight? Then exercise more, right? No doubt physical activity is important for weight loss. But so is laying down, closing your eyes and getting enough sleep.

Just as snoring is associated more often with men than women, so is sleep apnea. Since snoring and sleep apnea are related, does that mean women don't get sleep apnea as frequently?

Helping an obese child lose weight can do more than reduce playground teasing. It could also reduce a child's likelihood of having sleep apnea or metabolic syndrome.

"Living against the clock," forced into a schedule because of a job or other responsibilities that conflicts with your natural internal clock, may be contributing to weight gain.

Too little sleep or too much poor quality sleep can hurt more than your energy levels - it can also hit your waistline. If you're not getting enough sleep, you may be trading Z's for pounds.

It's not just how much sleep you get that plays a part in your health - it's also when you sleep. An out-of-whack biological clock can mean poor health and higher risk of disease.

That midnight snack you're stealing while you're struggling to get back to sleep may satisfy late night hunger - but it may also be extra calories your body doesn't need.