Having a good night's sleep is an important factor in preventing obesity (RelaxingMusic / Creative Commons).

Various studies over the past decade have shown that there is a tight link between sleep and the food you eat. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine found that the fewer hours of sleep you have, the higher number of calories you consume.

In the study, the Perelman School researchers organized the participants in four different categories: minimal sleepers with less than five hours of sleep, short sleepers with five to six hours of sleep, standard sleepers with seven to eight hours of sleep, and long sleepers with nine or more hours of sleep. The research showed that the short sleepers consumed the most number of calories, followed by standard sleepers, minimal sleepers, and, finally, the long sleepers.

Another group of researchers from the German Universities Tubingen and Lubeck and Uppsala University in Sweden also found that not getting adequate amount of sleep could lead to the increase of gherkin, a hunger hormone in our bodies. Not only does the gherkin hormone enlarge your appetite, but it also makes you crave  sweets, salty and starchy foods.

According to ScienceDaily, a study shows that 73 percent of the people with less than four hours of sleep are much more likely to be obese. Dr. Nathaniel Watson, a researcher at the University of Washington Sleep Disorders Center, also discovered that getting more sleep could help combat obesity genetically so that it becomes less significant for the your body genes to determine your weight.

Even though sleep may be the first thing to go when you have a busy schedule, make sure to catch a good amount of Z's each night to maintain a healthy life.

Reach Jenny Chang here.