Drinking alcohol before bed might help you fall asleep faster, but according to researchers it interferes with a good night's sleep. London's Sleep Center says alcohol helps a person get into a deep sleep.. for a longer period of time.. but it reduces REM sleep. Doctors say a lack of REM sleep.. which is rapid eye movement sleep.. can lead to poor concentration and memory.
New findings confirm that lower drinking ages can have an impact on drinking habits later in life. Researchers in St. Louis found people who grew up in states that permitted drinking before 21 were more likely to binge drink and develop alcohol dependency as adults. The study found a minimum drinking age of 21 had positive effects especially reducing deadly traffic accidents.
And the FDA is looking into ways to make nutrition labels easier to understand. Many food labels calculate calories per serving.. but there is usually more than one serving in the container. Researchers say listing fat and calories per serving and per package would help consumers more accurately calculate healthy portions.
(Marlie Hall, CBS News)
