Less Sleep = More Snacking

According to researchers in the United Kingdom and the University of Chicago, lack of sleep can derail your weight loss plans.

In the Chicago study, participants slept approximately 8.5 or 5.5 hours per night. Although their meal intake remained similar, researchers discovered that participants consumed about 220 more calories from snacks on their shorter sleep days.

Researchers also found that being awake an extra 3 hours did not result in an increase in activity.

In another study, researchers in the U.K. reviewed data from almost 700 studies that had been done on the association between sleep and weight gain. They found that the fewer hours you sleep, the higher the likelihood that you'll pack on extra pounds. The findings applied across the board to all age groups, including children.