Skipping sleep may pack on pounds faster than you think, new study finds

A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that adults who reduced sleep by 90 minutes nightly for six weeks gained an average of one pound and had larger waistlines compared to periods of adequate sleep. Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center noted participants sat more but exercised similarly, and weight gain was not linked to changes in body fat or tracked food intake. Dr. Somi Javaid highlighted sleep's role in metabolism, urging adults to prioritize seven to nine hours of sleep nightly as recommended by the American Heart Association.