Sleep deprivation and over eating; is a lack of sleep giving you the munchies? Obesity is a huge problem in our country. Another problem affecting millions is sleep deprivation, whether from studying, or working long hours or just trying to stay up to watch your favorite late night talk show. Scientists have recently studied the link between the munchies (which is a common side effect of consuming marijuana) and a lack of sleep and have found sleep deprivation enhances "the guilty pleasures" of sweet, salty, high-fat and other potentially bad-for-you foods. Having spent many nights in my youth showing up at diner's after 1am, it may explain why eggs, cake and French fries were the preferred foods we ordered along with our coffee. The Washington Post recently reported on this recent research. Check this out Study finds sleep deprivation can give you the "marijuana munchies"™ By Ariana Eunjung Cha If you've pulled an all-nighter and spent the next day feeling ravenously hungry as if you were in the movie "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," scientists may have just figured out why. A new paper, published in the journal Sleep on Monday and partially funded by the Department of Defense, makes the case that sleep deprivation can trigger powerful changes in how you eat that are akin to the "marijuana munchies." Researcher Erin Hanlon from the University of Chicago described the effect as enhancing "the guilty pleasures" of sweet, salty, high-fat and other potentially bad-for-you foods. Hanlon and her colleagues' study was small "” involving just 14 healthy men and women in their 20s "” but extremely controlled. All the participants came in for two four-day visits during which their sleep and food intake were closely monitored. During the first visit, the participants spent 8.5 hours in bed each night, resulting in an average of 7.5 hours of sleep. During the second, they were restricted to 4.5 hours in bed and got an average of 4.2 hours of sleep. At each visit they were given identical meals at 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Read more.