According to a new research, a poor night's rest can increase the levels of hormones linked to weight gain, making people crave sugary and fatty foods as they struggle with tiredness and lack of concentration.
This can trigger a vicious cycle as sleep-deprived people experience 'sugar rushes' after eating unhealthy snacks such as biscuits, chocolates or crisps, swiftly followed by energy slumps which in turn encourage them to have more fatty foods, the Daily Express reported.
Researchers from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, US, and Laval University, Quebec, found that a good night's sleep of between 5.5 and 8.5 hours is needed along with a good diet and exercise to shed the pounds.
"The solution to weight loss is not as simple as eat less, move more, sleep more. However, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that sleeping habits should not be overlooked when prescribing a weight-reduction programme to a patient with obesity," researchers Dr Jean-Philippe Chaput and Dr Angelo Tremblay, said.
"Sleep should be included as part of the lifestyle package that traditionally has focused on diet and physical activity," they wrote.
The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.