Columbia University study links 80‑minute nightly sleep loss to weight gain

A randomized crossover study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons examined the effects of reducing nightly sleep by about 80 minutes for six weeks. The trial involved 95 adults with elevated cardiometabolic risk who normally slept seven to eight hours. Participants who shortened their sleep gained an average of 0.45 kg (approximately 450 g) and showed a rise in waist circumference and body‑fat measures.

During the sleep‑restricted period, daily sedentary time increased by about 17 minutes, with men and post‑menopausal women adding up to 30 minutes of extra inactivity per day. Lead author Dr. Faris Zuraikat noted that “extrapolating the results over a year suggests a clinically significant weight increase,” while Prof. Marie‑Pierre St‑Onge emphasized that adequate sleep may help curb obesity and related cardiovascular disease. The findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and highlight chronic moderate sleep deprivation as a potential contributor to obesity and cardiometabolic disorders.