When you’re short on sleep, it’s easy to lean on a large latte to get moving. You might be tempted to skip exercise (too tired), get takeout for dinner, and then turn in late because you’re uncomfortably full.

If this cascade of events happens a few times each year, no problem. Trouble is, more than a third of Americans aren't getting enough sleep on a regular basis. Yet experts agree that getting enough sleep is as important to health, well-being, and your weight as are diet and exercise.

Skimping on sleep sets your brain up to make bad decisions. It decreases activity in the brain’s frontal lobe, the locus of decision-making and impulse control.

So it’s a little like being drunk. You don’t have the mental clarity to make good decisions.

Too little sleep triggers a cortisol spike. This stress hormone signals your body to conserve energy to fuel your waking hours.

Translation: not enough sleep=you’re more apt to hang on to fat.

Getting enough sleep may help prevent increases in calorie intake and appetite that can happen when you’re sleep deprived.

Many studies have found that people who are sleep deprived report having an increased appetite and a higher daily calorie intake.

Also researches found that when dieters cut back on sleep over a 14-day period, the amount of weight they lost from fat dropped by 55%, even though their calories stayed equal. They felt hungrier and less satisfied after meals, and their energy was zapped.

Sleep deprivation makes you “metabolically groggy," University of Chicago researchers say. Within just 4 days of insufficient sleep, your body’s ability to process insulin -- a hormone needed to change sugar, starches, and other food into energy -- goes wrong. Insulin sensitivity, the researchers found, dropped by more than 30%.

Here’s why that’s bad: When your body doesn't respond properly to insulin, your body has trouble processing fats from your bloodstream, so it ends up storing them as fat.

Science on balancing appetite-regulating hormones:

Many scientific studies have found that people who are sleep deprived report having an increased appetite and a higher daily calorie intake.

But why might extra sleep matter? Sleep duration has long been linked to the body's production of appetite-regulating hormones. Insufficient sleep is associated with higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, which increases appetite, and lower levels of the hormone leptin, which leads to feeling less full. This sets people up to gain weight. By contrast, sleeping more could alter these hormones and bring them back to balance.

Scientific Studies found that people might also feel more alert, energized, and happier with more sleep. This could lead to more activity, even if it isn't exercise. It may lead to less sitting and more socializing.

Tips for better night sleep habits:

Evaluate bedtime routines to tweak factors influencing sleep duration.
Stick to a schedule, waking up and retiring at the same times every day, even on weekends.
Create a bedtime ritual. It's not the time to tackle big issues. Instead, take a warm bath, meditate, or read.
Avoid caffeine after 2:00 pm. Caffeine can stay in your system for 5 to 6 hours.

Conclusion:

Getting enough sleep may help you avoid decreases in metabolism that can happen when you haven’t gotten enough sleep.

In other words, if you’re trying to lose weight, not getting enough sleep can sabotage your efforts.

A lack of sleep is linked to poorer food choices, increased hunger and calorie intake, decreased physical activity, and ultimately, weight gain.

If your weight loss efforts are not producing results, it may be time to examine your sleep habits. Though individual needs vary, most adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.

Getting some rest can make all the difference in helping you reach your weight loss goals.

Sleep helps to lose weight and keep it off