Get Some Sleep, Slim

Uh, I'm going to bed now.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- People who put on a few extra pounds may be able to blame a lack of sleep for the added weight, according to two separate studies published Monday.
Losing sleep can raise levels of hormones linked with appetite and eating behavior, the researchers said.

In one study, people who slept only four hours a night for two nights had an 18 percent reduction in leptin, a hormone that tells the brain there is no need for more food, and a 28 percent increase in ghrelin, which triggers hunger.

The young men in the study also tended to eat more sweet and starchy foods when sleep was cut short.