With so much to do in the day, many of us are probably guilty of not getting enough sleep each night.

But once you hear the benefits a good night's sleep can give, you might want to kick yourself for missing out.

It turns out that getting a full seven to eight hours sleep a night can be better for you than going to the gym, especially when it comes to weight loss.

This is something Dr Guy Meadows, the co-founder of The Sleep School has explained.

Dr Meadows has partnered with IKEA to launch an online tool called the Sleep Hub.

As part of this, he has been offering advice on sleep and what he has to say about sleeping and exercise might surprise you.

He told Mirror Online: "At a time where we all lead such busy lives, I often get asked whether getting up an hour earlier before work to go to the gym is  a good idea or not.

"In my eyes, exercise is really important to keeping fit and healthy - but it absolutely should not interfere with sleep. Quite the opposite, if you're serious about reaching your fitness goals, getting enough regular good quality sleep should be an essential part of your training plan."

Dr Meadows goes on to explain that the amount of sleep we need can vary from person to person, but in general we should be getting eight hours to feel energised throughout the day.

He continues: "If your reason for going to the gym is to lose weight, then getting more sleep could also be the answer.

"Sleep is essential for regulating the appetitive hormones, Ghrelin and Leptin, which are responsible for controlling your sense of hunger and fullness.

"Scientists report that after a poor night of sleep our craving for food can increase by up to 45 percent, which explains why after a poor night of sleep people reportedly eat on average an extra 300 calories per day.  This fits with other research that found people who sleep less than eight hours a night on average have a higher body fat content."

As well as this, he explained how getting enough sleep is beneficial for the brain and heart and also helps to strengthen the immune system.

Aleedawaty Abas, Bedroom Sales Leader at Ikea UK and Ireland added: "Getting enough sleep each night is absolutely essential not just for our short-term health, but it's proven to have long-term benefits too.

"Don't feel bad skipping the gym to get a proper night's sleep - embrace it instead!"