Chronically Short Sleep May Lead to Weight Gain in Adults With Heart Risks

— Pooled analysis of two trials shows impact when losing just 1.5 hours a night

July 6, 2026

• 3 min read

For adults with elevated cardiometabolic risk who usually slept for at least 7 hours per night, body weight increased by 1 lb over 6 weeks when they lost 1.5 hours of sleep each night, an analysis of two trials showed.Sleep reduction also increased sedentary time (difference of 17.2 minutes per day) after adjustment for time spent in bed.These findings expand the evidence for a causal link between sleep and weight, and also support discussing sleep duration with patients to help weight management and obesity prevention across the lifespan.

Shorter periods of sleep over the long term may lead to weight gain in adults at increased risk for cardiometabolic disease, a pooled analysis of two randomized trials suggested.