If you’re one of those people who can’t understand why you’re putting on extra pounds, it could be because you’re not sleeping enough. According to a new study out of the University of Chicago, lack of shut-eye can give a person the “munchies,” much like the side effects of smoking weed.

The study found that participants who consistently got a poor night’s sleep wound up eating about 300 more calories than those who got enough rest. The poor sleepers also tended to eat high calorie foods with twice as much fat and had a hard time resisting such munchies, even when they were full.

As for why, the study believes lack of sleep produces brain chemicals like the ones found in cannabis, which causes people to crave junk food like sugary snacks and chips.

“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,” lead researcher Erin Hanlon explained. “Sleep restriction may cause overeating by acting in the same manner.”

Source: New York Post