Let us get two things out of the way here first...

(1) We all love sleep. Sleep is great, and if we could marry sleep, we would, and... (2) You look great, we think you look perfect just the way you are, and if we could marry you, we would. However, if you've been working out or dieting or just trying to lose some weight and finding it not falling off the way you would have expected, that may come down to your sleeping patterns. In a new study published by the University Of Leeds, over 1,600 adults were studied on their sleeping patterns and calorie intake. While the differences in their diets were negligible, those who slept six hours a night had lower levels of HDL cholesterol (also known as the "good cholesterol") than those who slept nine hours a night. On average, those who slept less weighed more, and their waists tended to be around three centimetres bigger than their longer-sleeping counterparts. The senior investigator of the study stated the following:

"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."

So there you have it? Want to lose those last few pounds/inches? Get some more sleep in ye!