Studies have long shown that getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night boosts your health significantly but can sleep deprivation really lead to weight gain? The hormones Ghrelin and leptin play a significant role here.  Ghrelin tells your body when to eat and leptin tells your body when to stop eating. Sleep deprivation causes your body to produce less leptin and more ghrelin coupled with the fact that your metabolism is slower when you don’t get enough sleep. More Ghrelin, less leptin and a slower metabolism in concert together can result in significant weight gain.