Sleep deprivation has a profound impact on hormonal balance, particularly affecting leptin and ghrelin, which regulate appetite. Leptin signals fullness to the brain, while ghrelin stimulates hunger. Their levels should align with circadian rhythms, but lack of sleep disrupts this, causing increased ghrelin and decreased leptin levels, thereby escalating hunger and appetite (Navarro-Solera et al., 2015; Kurube et al., 2023). Furthermore, insufficient sleep duration contributes to insulin resistance, a precursor to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, by making cells less responsive to insulin. This necessitates higher insulin production to maintain blood sugar levels and results in excess sugar being stored in fat cells, leading to weight gain (Creasy et al., 2019; Lim et al., 2016). The intricate relationship between sleep, appetite regulation, and metabolic health underscores the importance of adequate sleep for maintaining hormonal balance and preventing obesity and diabetes. References: Navarro-Solera, M., Carrasco-Luna, J., Pin-Arboledas, G., González-Carrascosa, R., Soriano, J. M., & Codoñer-Franch, P. (2015). Short Sleep Duration Is Related to Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Children. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. Short Sleep Duration Is Related to Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Children Kurube, C. M. F., Widjaja, N. A., & Ardianah, E. (2023). Sleep duration and insulin resistance in obese adolescents with metabolic syndrome: is there a correlation? Acta Bio Medica : Atenei Parmensis. Sleep duration and insulin resistance in obese adolescents with metabolic syndrome: is there a correlation? Creasy, S., Crane, T. E., Garcia, D. O., Thomson, C., Kohler, L., Wertheim, B., Baker, L. D., Coday, M., Hale, L., Womack, C., Wright, K., & Melanson, E. (2019). Higher amounts of Sedentary Time are Associated with Short Sleep Duration and Poor Sleep Quality in Postmenopausal Women. Sleep. Higher amounts of Sedentary Time are Associated with Short Sleep Duration and Poor Sleep Quality in Postmenopausal Women. Lim, A. J. R., Huang, Z., Chua, S. E., Kramer, M., Yong, E. (2016). Sleep Duration, Exercise, Shift Work and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome-Related Outcomes in a Healthy Population: A Cross-Sectional Study. PLoS ONE. Sleep Duration, Exercise, Shift Work and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome-Related Outcomes in a Healthy Population: A Cross-Sectional Study