Getting insufficient amounts of sleep every night could lead to problems losing weight and keeping it off, BrainBlogger writer Jennifer Gibson reported this weekend.

Studies have repeatedly demonstrated sleep deprivation can affect a person's attempts to lose weight in a number of ways, Gibson said, including a reduction in the hormone which decreases appetite, an increase in the one that promotes it and a spike in the consumption of calories during snacks rather than meals.

Gibson also said a recent study from researchers at the University of Chicago saw a decrease in the amount of body fat lost by dieters who were subjected to moderate sleep restriction by 55 percent, as well as the amount of fat-free body mass, when compared to those on normal sleep schedules.

In addition to weight problems, Gibson said, memory loss and an increasingly rapid aging process can result from prolonged periods of insufficient sleep. She suggests a public health campaign to promote healthy sleeping habits could be highly beneficial.

Other experts point out that stress levels and psychological health are also negatively affected by insufficient sleep.