Sleep and weight gain

Sleeping five hours or less each night alters two hormones (ghrelin and leptin) that tell your body when it’s hungry and when it’s full. Lack of sleep also causes release of stress hormones that are associated with increased abdominal fat. You’ll feel better and look better by getting your full measure of slumber.

Your body, in its wisdom, produces the perfect concoction of hormones and chemical messengers for sleep each night. But using bright, artificial lights late in the evening can thwart that wisdom. So as dusk comes, tune your body to the sleep channel by dimming indoor lights or using candles. Two or three hours of dim light are sufficient for your brain to begin to produce melatonin, the sleep hormone.