Head to bed for slimming success

The better we sleep, the easier it is to control what we eat, suggests a new study published in medical journal Sleep. When study participants slept for nine and a half hours a night, they ate more fruit and veg and fewer carbs than when they slept for six and a half.

Interestingly, differences were most extreme after 9pm – when participants were on the shorter sleep cycle, they were drawn to sugary snacks and junk food. We’ve all been there: curled up on the sofa in front of the TV, cradling a sharing bag of crisps. Next time you feel like raiding the fridge after your evening meal, think about changing your bedtime – it could curb consumption in the present and binge-proof your future, too.