哥倫比亞大學的研究團隊發現，長期的輕度睡眠不足（例如每晚只睡五到六小時）會導致體重增加，這項發現有別於過去主要關注嚴重睡眠剝奪的研究。（關鍵數字： six hours）

這項為期十二週的實驗顯示，相較於正常睡眠，受試者在睡眠時間減少約八十分鐘的期間內，平均體重增加了約0.45公斤，且久坐不動的時間也隨之增加。

研究也指出，輕度睡眠不足還可能引發胰島素阻抗增加以及發炎反應加劇等健康風險，這提醒了現代人應重新審視日常睡眠時間對預防肥胖與相關疾病的重要性。

A research team at Columbia University found that chronic, mild sleep deprivation—such as getting five to six hours of sleep a night—can lead to weight gain, differentiating this study from previous research focused on severe sleep restriction.

During a twelve-week experiment, participants who had their sleep reduced by about 80 minutes gained an average of 0.45 kilograms and spent significantly more time being sedentary compared to their periods of normal sleep.

The study also revealed that mild sleep deprivation can increase the risk of insulin resistance and inflammation, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing adequate sleep in modern lifestyles to prevent obesity and related diseases.