Lack of sleep makes you fat?

It's refreshing to realize that it takes more than watching what you eat to lose weight.  We are so obsessed by dieting that we don't think about other factors.

Dr. Joseph Mercola, in his book Take Control of Your Health writes, "Not enough sleep can make you fat."

Hoorah!  Mercola says that sleep deprivation causes weight gain because it disrupts our hormones, increasing cortisol and ghrelin (both cause increased appetite), while decreasing leptin and insulin.  Decreasing leptin causes the body to crave more food, especially carbohydrates, while decreasing insulin levels increases the appetite and leads to low blood sugar levels and insulin resistance.

I've always enjoyed a good night's sleep, and now I won't feel so guilty about it.  After all, what's better than feeling rested, energetic, and one step ahead of the battle of the bulge?

For more information on this and other health and weight loss advice visit www.mercola.com.