Turns out your sleep could have a massive affect on your waistline

A new study has found that people who get fewer than six hours sleep per night are more likely to have a bigger waistline.

A study, conducted on 1,615 adults in the University of Leeds, found that those who got less sleep were heavier in weight, than those who got seven to nine hours sleep per night. According to The Sun, it's down to less hours of sleep leading to reduced blood levels of high-density lipoprotein which helps to keep your heart healthy. Lead researcher Dr Laura Hardie, said:

"Because we found that adults who reported sleeping less than their peers were more likely to be overweight or obese, our findings highlight the importance of getting enough sleep. How much sleep we need differs between people, but the current consensus is that seven to nine hours is best for most adults."

While the study has proven a difference in weight gain in response to the amount of sleep a person gets, it didn't investigate any link between lack of sleep and over consumption of food. Other studies in the past have said that when people get less sleep they tend to overcompensate the following day by eating more to get more energy which leads to weight gain.