(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Could the way you sleep be linked to how much you weigh?

Scientists from Merck Research Laboratories say they believe the answer may be yes. In a study conducted in mice, they found a drug aimed at influencing a bodily function associated with both sleep and weight effectively kept mice from gaining too much weight even when they were fed a high-fat diet.

The research builds on previous studies linking T-type calcium channels to sleep and weight gain. When the investigators gave normal weight mice a drug that antagonized T-type calcium channels, they slept better and were protected from weight gain despite being fed a high-fat diet. Obese mice who received the drug actually lost weight and fat.