New Study Finds Reducing Sleep By Just 80 Minutes Per Night Harms Your Health Neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar Explains

Following a healthy lifestyle is a comprehensive process that requires consistency to see results. While it is commonly believed that exercising and eating well are the two pillars of staying fit, one habit is often overlooked: sleep.

Taking to X on July 11, Dr Sudhir Kumar, MD, DM, a neurologist at Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad, shared that sleep is an important part of the equation that is often overlooked, even though it pulls as much weight as the other two.

Even when a person eats healthy and exercises regularly, they might still gain weight if they are not getting adequate sleep. To support his claim, Dr Kumar cited a study published in the July 2026 edition of Annals of Internal Medicine, titled: Prolonged Short Sleep and Its Effect on Body Weight and Composition: A Pooled Analysis of Randomised Trials.

The study has found that reducing sleep by only around 80 minutes every night for a period of six weeks has led to the following effects:

“In other words, people who slept less did not use the extra time to move more; they actually became less physically active,” noted the neurologist.

Dr Kumar noted that the study's findings are far from isolated. There is a large body of medical research that has linked chronic sleep deprivation with the following health conditions:

“Many people think weight management has only two pillars: a healthy diet and regular exercise,” stated Dr Kumar. “It actually has three.” These include:

According to Dr Kumar, most adults should aim for getting seven to nine hours of good-quality sleep every night.

“Sleep is one of the best investments you can make for your metabolism, heart, brain, and waistline,” shared the neurologist. “If you are struggling to lose weight despite eating well and exercising consistently, don't overlook your sleep.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

Dr Sudhir Kumar, MBBS, MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology), is a neurologist with over 26 years of experience. He is associated with the Apollo Hospitals Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad.

Debapriya Bhattacharya is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times. He started his career in 2022, working in newsrooms in beats like education, US news, trending stories, and entertainment. In his new role in the lifestyle desk, he seeks to deliver a balanced blend of research-driven reporting and creative storytelling from health and recipes to art and culture. Science, philosophy, food and pop culture are what pump his veins and help bring heart to his stories. Debapriya tries to see out subjects that will allow him and readers to explore new frontiers and improve the quality of life for all. The explorations can be both external and internal, as thoughts seek to be as chaotic as the greater universe. As a citizen of the world, Debapriya has been fascinated by the lives of people across the globe throughout time. His curiosity leads him to explore new linguistic and cultural landscapes to broaden his horizons and deepen his understanding of global narratives. Beyond the newsroom, Debapriya loves to participate in debate and theatre, spaces that he considers to be holy grounds for nuance and self-expression. A graduate from Ashutosh College, University of Calcutta, Debapriya completed his Master's degree from the same university in 2022. An ambiverted bibliophile, he loves his solitude as much as he adores stimulating conversations. And despite his reverence for tech, libraries continue to be his favourite place for research.Read More