(BlackDoctor.org) -- Are you getting enough sleep? If the answer is no, you might want to start catching some extra zzz’s, as a new study suggests that a few extra hours in bed might actually help you to stay slim.

Scientists recently presented a study at the annual American Thoracic Society meeting, held in San Diego, which studied the sleeping habits of nearly 70,000 women. At the end of the study, researchers concluded that women who slept at least seven hours actually weighed 5.5 pounds less than women who only got five or less hours of sleep. In fact, scientists warned that pulling all-nighters might even slow your metabolism.

So be sure to manage your time efficiently and get your work done well in advance of bedtime. After all, you now have the perfect excuse to get all the sleep you want!

By Christine Mangan, BlackDoctor.org Editor