Remember Goldilocks? When she wandered into the Three Bears' house, she sampled their morning porridge and declared: "This porridge is too salty!" "This porridge is too sweet!" And "This porridge is just right."

Well, you've got the same kind of choices when it comes to getting your sleep just right.

Research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association concluded that less than seven hours of sleep is too little. More than nine hours of sleep per night is too much. But seven to nine hours a night when you hit the hay between 10 p.m. and midnight is just right.

The scientists looked at data on around 6,700 people ages 20 to 80 and found that early and late bedtimes and too little or too much sleep were associated with greater odds for high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, and metabolic syndrome, which is a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease.

Going to sleep at a late hour and then sleeping for too long delivered the most health-damaging outcomes.

And people in their middle years — ages 40 to 59 — with poor sleep patterns were harmed the most.

Our top techniques for getting optimal sleep are daily physical activity; adopting a sleep schedule and sticking to it; meditation at bedtime; making sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet; and talking to your doctor about sleep supplements, such as melatonin and magnesium.