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GETTING ENOUGH sleep makes it easier to eat well and lose weight and also may improve cholesterol and blood-sugar levels.

It's not clear how exactly sleep affects the brain and appetite levels, but the research is tantalizing. And getting more sleep sounds so much nicer than dieting!

In one recent study, truck drivers and dock workers who got enough sleep to feel rested ate better without trying. They ate more fruits and vegetables and had fewer sugary drinks and sugary snacks, according to research published in the American Journal of Public Health this month.

This is the latest in a string of intriguing studies on sleep and appetite.

Obviously, exercise and portions affect weight too. But the sleep research is especially relevant as more Americans are heavy than before, and Americans in general are sleeping less.

SLEEP MORE, EAT LESS

In the 1960s, Americans slept 8.5 hours a night; by the turn of this century, we had dropped to only 7 hours a night. Researchers say 7 to 9 hours are optimal, but many Americans get less than that each night.

Why does it matter?

One study showed that restricting sleep caused increased appetite all the next day, as well as changes in appetite hormones such as ghrelin and leptin.

Middle-age Chicagoans who were limited to 5.5 hours of shut-eye ate 200 more calories worth of snacks than those allowed to sleep 8.5 hours, in one research project.

And a study of Greek women showed that for every hour of sleep lost, women had about 3 percent more body fat. In other words, women who averaged 6 hours of sleep nightly had 3 percent more body fat that those who averaged 7 hours' sleep.

Sleeping too much or too little also was linked to weight gain in Canadian adults during a 6-year study. Folks who slept 6 hours or less--and those who slept 9 or more hours--gained 3 to 4 pounds.

Along with weight gain, there are other effects of not getting enough sleep.

Studies of both healthy young men and middle-aged adults have shown that restricting sleep increased their blood sugar levels.

We also know that folks with sleep apnea, characterized by snoring at night and daytime sleepiness, have higher rates of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.