Lack of sleep may cause same 'munchies' as smoking weed

Lack of sleep gives you the “munchies” just like smoking weed, a new study claims.

Sleep-deprived people crave sugary snacks and chips because skimping on snoozing produces brain chemicals similar to ones found in cannabis, according to scientists from the University of Chicago.

Researchers found participants who got several nights of poor sleep consumed roughly 300 more calories per day than those who were properly rested. They were more likely to eat high-calorie food with twice as much fat, according to the study published in the journal of Sleep.

Test subjects who failed to get enough Z’s had more trouble resisting unhealthy snacks — even when they were full — than ones that got enough sleep, said lead researcher Erin Hanlon.

“We know that marijuana activates the endocannabinoid system and causes people to overeat when they are not hungry, and they normally eat yummy sweet and fatty foods. Sleep restriction may cause overeating by acting in the same manner,” Hanlon said.

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