I wish it were simpler, but a lot of things can cause you to gain fat. It’s not always just a lack of exercise and an overabundance of food. So if you are eating right and exercising, but still having a hard time burning off excess inches, maybe you should take a look at your sleeping patterns.

In a study of 30 Greek women, researchers found that those who slept less had more body fat. In fact, for every one-hour decrease in the number of hours they slept, the women saw an increase of almost three percent more body fat.

The researchers were unable to associate a lack of sleep with an increase in caloric intake, so the reason for their results remains a mystery.

But… if you aren’t getting seven or eight hours of sleep each night, this could be the missing link in your fat-loss program. Try going to bed 30 minutes earlier for the next week, and then go to bed even 30 minutes earlier for another week. See if that helps you lose more fat.

[Ed. Note: Fitness expert Craig Ballantyne is the creator of the Turbulence Training for Fat Loss system. For an online source of information, motivation, and social support to help you improve your health, lose weight, and get fit, sign up for ETR’s free natural health e-letter.]