Simply hitting the gym or sweating over a tough workout is not enough to lose weight. A balanced diet and adequate sleep are also crucial to maintaining a healthy weight. Research has linked inadequate sleep (less than seven hours of sleep at night) to increased risk of weight gain. Lack of sleep may cause cortisol or stress hormone levels to rise and this is associated with fat gain. Also if you stay up longer you will end consuming more calories. So it is important to get a good night’s sleep of least 7-8 hours to achieve your weight loss goals.