Study finds link between reduced sleep and weight gain

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine indicates that regularly reducing sleep may lead to weight gain. Researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center studied 95 adults at risk for heart or metabolic disease, comparing six weeks of adequate sleep with six weeks of reduced sleep, averaging 90 minutes less per night. Participants gained approximately one pound on average during the sleep-restricted phase and showed slight increases in waist circumference, although their levels of moderate and vigorous exercise remained unchanged. The study did not track participants' food intake, leaving the cause of weight gain unclear. Dr. Somi Javaid, an OB-GYN not involved in the study, emphasized the importance of sleep in regulating metabolism and noted that chronic sleep deprivation can complicate weight management, particularly for women undergoing menopause. The researchers acknowledged limitations in their study, including its duration and sample size, which may have affected their findings.