What if we told you there was a medication that might help you lose 26 pounds in three years—and if it had no bad side effects, was completely free, and increased your general health and longevity? ‘What if?’

According to a new study published Monday in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, this medication exists and may be obtained in your own house right now. There were differences in daily caloric intake of about 270 calories among 80 young, overweight people who slept an average of 6 12 hours less each night over the course of two weeks. People who didn’t even attempt to “diet” were able to reduce their daily calorie intake by 500 or more.

Overeating and weight gain have been related in previous research to sleep deprivation, and these new results suggest that getting enough shut-eye may benefit people who are suffering with their weight.

An assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago and the director of the Sleep Research Center told CNN that “this is almost like a game-changer for weight reduction or weight management.”

Sleep hygiene therapy was provided to individuals between the ages of 21 and 40. As an added bonus, here are some exclusive advice from designers and sleep experts on how to create your own dreamy haven in your own home.

“People’s lives, job constraints, family members, pets and children’s nighttime habits were all taken into consideration. After that, we advised them to improve their sleep habits, such as putting away their electronic devices before going to sleep “Tassi says to CNN.

Their physical activity and eating habits were not changed, and they slept on their own beds while utilizing wearable devices to monitor their overall sleep time. Urine-based assays were used to measure calorie intake and daily energy reserves.

The scientific community is sure that these findings are not a fluke since it was done in a “real world” context rather than a laboratory and the urine test provided an objective assessment of calories ingested (rather than a less accurate self-reported memory). The results of this research, despite its limitations, support the idea that getting enough sleep is essential for good health.

Mayo Clinic sleep psychiatrist and neurologist Bhanuprakash Kolla tells CNN that “this is a really well-done research addressing an essential topic” at the Center for Sleep Medicine and the Division of Addiction Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. There was no Kolla in this research. “They demonstrated conclusively that reducing calorie intake by increasing sleep resulted to moderate weight loss. If this were to go on for longer, we may expect to see more drastic shifts in weight.”

In fact, according to the authors of the journal paper, sleeping longer than usual may help you lose 26 pounds in three years by consuming 270 less calories every day. There’s no need to make any dietary adjustments or increase your workout routine in any way. It’s possible to enhance the health advantages by making some simple dietary changes and meeting your weekly activity requirements.

So, how can merely getting more sleep aid weight loss? Ghrelin and leptin are believed to be the major hunger and satiety hormones. Rather of saying, “Feed me, I’m hungry,” ghrelin instructs the body, “Hey, we’re full,” as does leptin. People who are clinically overweight or “healthy” in terms of body mass index should obtain adequate sleep in order to lessen their desires for carbohydrates and control their appetite.

Sleep deprivation causes the brain’s reward regions to seek pleasure in meals that provide a fast energy boost, which may lead to overeating.

Reward areas in the brain are more active when you are sleep-deprived, which enhances your desire for carbs or junk food or to consume more total calories,” says Tasali in a CNN interview.

The circadian rhythm, which governs when and what we eat, may be influenced by sleep.

It’s a lot easier said than done to sleep an extra 72 minutes a night, according to this study. This week’s overview of a woman’s efforts to improve her sleep might provide some inspiration and counsel, and eating more of these nine sleep-promoting food combinations and nutrients may also help!