Produced by: Manoj Kumar
In a chat with prominent Indian neurologist Dr Sid Warrier, R Madhavan, 54, learned that sleep—not workouts or diets—delivers the greatest long-term health return.
Dr Warrier stressed that sleep offers the “highest ROI on health,” calling it unmatched for brain preservation when practiced consistently over years.
While skipping a night is tolerable, years of poor sleep accumulate irreversible brain damage, triggering memory loss and risks of Alzheimer’s, warned Dr Warrier.
Experts highlight that chronic sleep loss fuels hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and even stroke, as stress hormones surge and body functions crash.
Lack of sleep skews hunger signals—leptin drops, ghrelin spikes—driving cravings, overeating, and eventual weight gain, explained Mahalakshmi.
They note adults need 6-8 hours of sleep to maintain body repair cycles, while kids require much more to support growth.
Chronic sleep debt raises cortisol levels, derails REM patterns, and triggers irritability, mood swings, and premature aging.
REM sleep, peaking between 2-4 AM, is vital for memory, emotions, and immunity, while neglecting it weakens the brain’s defenses.
Experts caution that sleep neglect silently chips away at the brain, damaging focus, creativity, and emotional balance—often noticed only when it’s too late.