Do Sleep Disorders Cause Weight Gain?

According to researchers at the University of Helsinki, sleep disorders can cause weight gain in middle aged women if they don't get a good night's sleep.

The weight and sleeping habits of around 7,300 women aged between 40 and 60 over a seven year period were examined and it was found that about one in three of women with frequent sleep problems gained at least 11 pounds in weight over the seven years as opposed to one in five of the women who got a consistent 8 hours recommended sleep.

This could be down to the fact that the sleep disorders could affect the chemicals that dictate appetite although, according to the lead researcher Peppi Lyytikainen, more studies need to be done to verify whether it was the lack of sleep that was causing the weight gain or vice versa.