This is one of the most popular questions about sleep that is asked on Google, which is interesting as I think it’s an under-appreciated aspect of weight loss. The fact is, sleep plays a major role in fat loss (and in muscle gain as well). Sleep is a critical factor for almost every aspect of our health. So how can a lack of sleep affect weight loss? There are three major implications to a lack of quality sleep – and they’re all linked to hormones. Ghrelin Ghrelin is a hormone that regulates our appetite – its nickname is the hunger hormone. Ghrelin tells our brain that we’re hungry, and when it’s working well, we can rely on it to steer us towards food when we need it. It’s like following your intuition – you’ll know what to eat and when to eat. When you’re sleep deprived, there can be too much ghrelin in your system, causing feelings of hunger. This makes you far more likely to overeat and gain weight. Leptin Leptin is a hormone …