MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, N.Y., July 28 (Our New York News) — For people who cut sleep to squeeze in work, screens or late-night errands, the tradeoff may show up on the scale faster than expected.
Researchers at Columbia University in New York City reported that adults who slept about 80 to 90 minutes less per night for six weeks gained about 1 pound on average and became more sedentary. The study also found a modest increase in waist size.
What did the Columbia study find?
The findings come from a pooled analysis of randomized trials published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Columbia University said the research was designed to mirror sleep patterns many adults live with over time, rather than a single all-nighter.
The participants were 95 adults already at risk for heart or metabolic disease. In the study, they went through two six-week periods: one with more adequate sleep and one with sleep restriction.
During the sleep-restriction phase, researchers reported that the group gained about 1 pound on average. Columbia also said sedentary time rose by an average of 17 minutes per day overall, and by nearly 30 minutes per day among men and postmenopausal women.
Is that a lot?
On its own, 1 pound over six weeks is a small change, not a crisis. But Columbia first author Faris Zuraikat said the effect could matter more if it keeps adding up.
“While the one-pound weight gain observed with modest sleep curtailment is not overwhelming, it is important to remember this is occurring over just six weeks,” Zuraikat said in the university release. “When extrapolated to a full year, we would expect that losing less than an hour and a half of sleep per night could result in clinically meaningful weight gain.”
That does not mean every short night leads to weight gain. It does suggest that regularly skimping on sleep may make it harder to keep weight steady, especially for people who are already vulnerable to heart or metabolic problems.
What should readers take from it?
The study does not say sleep is the only factor that affects body weight. It does show that sleep, movement and weight appear to be linked in a measurable way, even over a relatively short period.
For a normal reader, the practical takeaway is simple: sleep is not just about feeling rested the next day. According to the Columbia researchers, trimming sleep for weeks at a time was associated with a small but real shift toward weight gain and less activity.
Because the changes were modest, the study is better read as a reminder about habits than as a warning of sudden weight gain. Still, it adds to evidence that sleep belongs in the conversation about long-term health, alongside diet and exercise.
