Getting enough sleep is often overlooked as part of a healthy lifestyle. Most people know that eating well and exercising are important, yet sleep is frequently sacrificed to busy schedules.
New research suggests that regularly sleeping a little less than needed may quietly increase the risk of weight gain and future health problems.
Scientists from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons investigated how mild sleep restriction affects healthy adults. Their findings, published in the International Journal of Obesity, show that losing around 80 minutes of sleep each night for six weeks was linked with weight gain and reduced physical activity.
Unlike earlier research that forced people to sleep only four hours each night, this study focused on the more common sleep habits seen in everyday life. About one-third of adults regularly get only five or six hours of sleep, making the findings especially relevant.
Ninety-five adults who normally slept seven to eight hours participated in the study. They completed one six-week period with their usual sleep schedule and another in which bedtime was delayed by about 90 minutes. Researchers carefully monitored their sleep, movement, body measurements and several hormones.
Participants gained an average of one pound during the period of shorter sleep. They also spent more time sitting and less time moving throughout the day. These behavioural changes may partly explain why long-term sleep loss contributes to obesity.
The researchers noted that sleep affects hormones involved in appetite, metabolism and energy use. Poor sleep may also reduce motivation to exercise because people feel more tired during the day. Over time, these effects can combine to make maintaining a healthy weight more difficult.
Earlier studies involving the same volunteers found additional health changes. Women with increased cardiometabolic risk developed greater insulin resistance after mild sleep restriction, while another study found increased inflammatory cells linked with heart disease. These findings suggest that inadequate sleep may affect many body systems at once.
The researchers emphasised that improving sleep may become an important strategy for preventing chronic disease. Rather than relying only on diet and exercise, helping people achieve healthy sleep could support weight management and overall wellbeing.
Although larger studies are still needed, the research provides practical advice that many people can use immediately. Going to bed earlier, following a regular sleep schedule and limiting late-night screen time may all help improve sleep quality.
This well-designed clinical study examined sleep patterns that closely resemble real life, making its findings highly relevant. Its six-week duration and objective activity monitoring strengthen confidence in the results, although longer studies are needed to measure long-term effects.
Overall, the evidence suggests that even modest sleep loss should not be ignored because its health effects may accumulate gradually over many years.
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Source: Columbia University.
