Studies have found that sleep deprivation can increase your appetite and the cravings for fat filled snacks as the effect of lack of sleep.

The sleep loss can bring drastic changes in your appetite and the choice of food that is similar to the "marijuana munchies" says the research done by the researchers of the University Of Chicago. The study was fully funded by the Department of Defense, according to The Washington Post.

A new paper about the study in the Journal SLEEP was published this Monday.

Researcher Erin Hanlon, who is part of the study from the University Of Chicago, explains that this effects "enhances the guilty pleasures of sweet, salty, high-fat and other potentially bad-for-you foods," reported The Telegraph.

The study was done by Hanlon and other researchers on very little group of 14 healthy men and women who were subjected to a study of four-day visits twice.

On the first four-day visit they all slept for 8.5 hours in bed during the night, which made an average of 7.5 hours of sleep. In the contrary in the second visit, they had a limited sleep of 4.5 hours in the night resulting in an average of 4.2 hours.

During both the study, they were given the same kind of meals at fixed timings (viz.,) 9.00 am, 2 p.m and 7 p.m.

The results of the above study showed surprising changes. The sleep deprivation increased the level of 2-AG (endocannabinoid 2- arachidonoylglycerol, which is believed to maintain the appetite and motor levels) which peaked in the noon by 2.30 p.m and stayed high all evening.

The results of the elated level of 2-AG is that their calorie intake nearly doubled than the normal intake. Their food choices were also towards snacks like cookies, chips and candy.

Hanlon following the study stresses that people should be more concerned about their sleep loss in a long run.

Since the four day study itself has shown drastic changes longer duration may create immense problem.