Did you know that simply sleeping and waking one hour earlier can cut the risk of depression? An earlier four-year study of 32,000 nurses who called themselves "early risers" had found that they were 27 percent less likely to develop depression symptoms. But newer research has homed in on how exactly shifting someone's sleep schedule can potentially affect them. Researchers collected data on over 800,000 people, including which hours of the day they were predisposed to prefer (also known as their chronotype). They determined that going to bed merely an hour earlier is associated with significantly lower risk of depression. So if someone who usually hits the sack at 11 p.m. instead goes to bed at midnight and sleeps for the same duration, they could lower their risk by 23 percent. The effect could potentially be almost twice that if shifted by two hours. The researchers aren't quite sure why they are getting these results, but it could have something to do with light a...

We've all been there: We set the alarm for a specific time in the morning, only to not hear it or repeatedly hit the snooze button. Once we realize what time it is, we scurry to put on our clothes, grab something for breakfast, and dash out the door in hopes of getting to work on time. But what if I shared some handy tricks for ensuring you get out of bed and have ample time to get ready for work? It's simple. First, make sure the song/ringtone you use on your alarm clock or phone is overly obnoxious -- so annoying that you can't help but get up to turn it off. On the other hand, if you opt for tranquil sounds of nature, you'll never have any incentive to get out of bed -- and you risk oversleeping. You'll also want to set the alarm for 30 minutes to an hour earlier than you'd have to wake up, which will buy you extra time to get all your early morning affairs in order. There's nothing more stressful than having to rush out of your house to make it...