Did you know that getting your beauty sleep means more than just a better complexion, a brighter smile and more energy? Getting a full nights sleep also improves dieting efforts. A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reported that dieting participants who got adequate sleep lost more fat, and when the same participants cut back on their sleep their weight loss only was about one-fourth fat loss. Those participants reported that when their sleep was restricted, they also felt hungrier.(1)

Hormones and Sleep
When your body is at rest during sleep it is in a state of repair. While you sleep your body produces hormones including leptin and ghrelin which aid in the regulation of feelings of hunger and fullness. When you don’t get enough sleep, leptin levels go down which means you won’t feel as satisfied after you eat. A lack of sleep can also increase ghrelin levels which can stimulate your appetite, so you end up eating more food.