If you compromise sleep to workout--think again!

Well you shouldn't. If you're not sleeping enough then you won't reap all of the benefits of your exercise and could potentially set yourself up for overeating later in the day.

Now, if you're sleeping adequately then waking up for a workout is going to be beneficial, of course. Here's some info on sleep and weight loss.

One study published online at the Public Library of Science shows how sleep is connected to eating habits and weight gain. The December 2004 study found that people who slept less than seven to eight hours a night ate significantly more and weighed more than those who slept longer. What's more, the more sleep deprived the person was, the more they ate and the greater their weight gain. These results can be directly attributed to two key appetite-regulating hormones: leptin and ghrelin. Leptin (a hormone secreted by our fat cells) and ghrelin (a hormone secreted in our stomachs) work like a checks and balances system in the body and control your feelings of fullness and hunger. When you don't get enough sleep, your leptin levels drop and your ghrelin levels rise. In other words, you're more likely to crave sugary, high-carb foods (thanks to higher levels of ghrelin) that have the potential to sabotage your diet.

Growth hormone -- which is extremely important for tissue repair, body fat reduction, and healthy immune function -- also gets released during sleep.

Now you can see why getting quality sleep is just as important as your workout routine and nutrition. In fact, I would rank sleep and diet as more important than exercise, especially if fat loss (i.e. getting a lean, toned body) is your primary goal.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/24/should-you-skip-sleep-to-work-out_n_978290.html