Cutting Sleep by 80 Minutes Linked to Weight Gain and Increased Waistline

Adults who reduced their daily sleep by approximately 80 minutes experienced an increase in both body weight and waist circumference over a six-week period.

It was also found that while the time spent awake increased due to sleep deprivation, the time spent sitting or remaining inactive also increased.

A research team led by Professor Marie-Pierre St-Onge at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons published the results of a clinical trial involving adults at risk for cardiometabolic disease in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a journal of the American College of Physicians, on July 7 (local time).

While the link between sleep deprivation and obesity has been known, most previous studies were conducted over short periods under extreme conditions, such as limiting daily sleep to about four hours.

As a result, the impact of chronic, mild sleep deprivation on body weight had not yet been clearly established.

The research team examined the effects of long-term, mild sleep deprivation on 95 adults who usually sleep more than seven hours a day.

Participants underwent two six-week periods separated by an interval: one where they maintained their usual sleep habits, and another where they delayed their bedtime to reduce their nightly sleep by one and a half hours.

The researchers then measured physical activity using wrist-worn monitors and compared changes in biomarkers, such as body fat mass.

The results showed that during the sleep-restricted period, actual sleep time decreased by an average of 78.4 minutes per day, while body weight increased by an average of 0.45 kilograms and waist circumference by an average of 0.52 centimeters.

Furthermore, although the time spent awake increased due to reduced sleep, the average daily time spent sitting or remaining inactive increased by 17.2 minutes. Notably, for men and postmenopausal women, the increase in sedentary time reached an average of 30 minutes per day.

The research team warned, "While the weight gain over six weeks may seem small in terms of numbers, if this sleep pattern continues for a year, it could lead to significant weight gain."

They also explained, "These results suggest that sleep deprivation may increase the risk of obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease."

They added, "Getting enough sleep can help reduce the risk of disease," and emphasized that "further research is needed to identify the specific effects of sleep improvement on health."

◆ Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, Marie-Pierre St-Onge et al., 'Skimping on Sleep and Its Impact on Body Weight and Composition: A Pooled Analysis of Randomized Trials', https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-01660
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