“When experienced long term, chronic sleep deprivation reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex — the part responsible for logic, judgment, and impulse control, while overstimulating the amygdala, which controls emotions like anger and fear,” Dr Jain told indianexpress.com. As a result, people may become more emotionally reactive, anxious, and prone to mood swings. To add to that, sleep-deprived people suffer from impulsive decision-making, who find it “harder to manage conflicts or stress calmly”.

Is catching up on sleep during the day the same?

All sleep is not the same, and the quality and timing matter as well. In Ananya’s case, she believes sleeping for hours in the morning would help her make up for staying up all night.

However, Dr Arunesh Kumar, Director & HOD – Pulmonology at Paras Health, Gurugram, pointed out that the issue is not just about odd hours, but about disrupting the body’s natural timing. “The body’s circadian rhythm is designed around daylight. Long-term disruption can weaken immunity, affect lung function, slow metabolism, and raise the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease,” he explained.

According to him, the impact is not just limited to physical health. “Night wakefulness disrupts hormones like melatonin and cortisol, which regulate sleep, stress and energy,” said Dr Kumar. When these hormones fall out of sync, people may experience irritability, low mood, poor concentration, persistent fatigue, and even changes in appetite or weight, he added.

While it can be assumed that the body is adaptable and adjust itself to the new sleep timings, the shift is never complete. “The body can partially adapt, but it never fully resets,” he said, explaining how daytime sleep tends to be lighter and shorter due to light exposure and environmental noise, leaving the body to function under subtle physiological stress.

What should you watch out for? Dr Kumar said that warning signs appear gradually and can look like constant tiredness despite enough hours in bed, frequent respiratory infections, headaches, mood swings, breathlessness, or increasing reliance on caffeine.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

1. Starting the day with chai, coffee and biscuits

Starting the day with sugary tea and biscuits on an empty stomach can cause repeated spikes in blood sugar levels (Image: Unsplash)

For many Indians, the day begins with a piping hot cup of sugary tea or coffee accompanied by biscuits. However, according to Dr Tandon, starting the day with sugary tea or coffee and biscuits “on an empty stomach”  is one of the biggest culprits, which can cause “repeated spikes in blood sugar levels.”

While it may seem like a light breakfast, this combination is often high in sugar and refined carbohydrates while offering little protein or fibre to slow down glucose absorption.

2. Eating mostly carbs and very little protein

“Another common habit is consuming large portions of refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, parathas made with refined flour, and sugary snacks while eating very little protein or fibre,” says Dr Tandon.

Protein and fibre help keep blood sugar levels more stable, while meals dominated by refined carbohydrates can lead to frequent glucose spikes and crashes.

3. Sitting for most of the day

“Physical inactivity is another major concern,” Dr Tandon points out.  Whether it’s desk jobs, long commutes, binge-watching television, or scrolling through phones, many people spend hours sitting without much movement.

He explains that spending long periods sitting reduces the body’s ability to use insulin effectively. Over time, this can contribute to worsening insulin resistance and other metabolic problems.

sitting for long hours without movement, which can contribute to back pain, obesity, and poor circulation (Ai generated image)

4. Eating dinner late and going straight to bed

Late-night dinners have become increasingly common, especially among working professionals.

However, Dr Tandon warns that “late-night dinners followed by immediately going to bed can also negatively impact blood sugar control and metabolism.”

Giving the body little time to digest food before sleep may make it harder to regulate glucose efficiently.

 5. Treating snacks and sweets as everyday foods

Packaged snacks, sugary beverages, mithai, namkeen, and calorie-dense evening snacks often become a routine part of daily life rather than an occasional indulgence.

According to Dr Tandon, “frequent consumption of packaged snacks, sweets, sugary beverages, and traditional high-calorie evening snacks can gradually increase the risk of weight gain and insulin resistance.”

While these foods may seem harmless in small amounts, regular consumption can steadily increase metabolic risk.

“Many people believe these are harmless daily habits, but over time they can contribute to abdominal obesity, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular problems,” Dr Tandon concludes.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.