Climate change is no longer limited to just weather patterns; Its clear effect is also visible on people’s sleep. According to a new analysis, people around the world are losing an average of 56 hours of sleep every year due to rising temperatures. The maximum impact has been seen in those areas where night temperatures are continuously increasing. Experts say that lack of sleep can lead to many serious health problems, including heart disease, mental health problems, weakened immune system and reduced productivity.
**1,338 big cities included**
The analysis conducted by ‘Climate Central’ covered 1,338 major cities across the world, including 107 cities in India. The report cites India as one of the countries most affected by the effects of climate change on sleep. People living especially in South Indian cities are losing 78 to 91 hours of sleep every year, out of which 8 to 9 hours are being lost directly due to climate change.
**Which cities are most affected?**
According to the report, Tamil Nadu is the most affected state in this matter, where every person is losing an average of 7.9 hours of sleep annually due to climate change. Chennai is the most affected among the major metropolitan cities of the country, where residents are losing about 93 hours of sleep every year. This is followed by Mumbai, where an estimated 84 hours of sleep is being lost, and then Kolkata, where 80 hours of sleep is being lost.
Cities like Bengaluru and Dehradun – once known for their cool nights – are now facing rising temperatures. The report shows that in the 1970s, Bengaluru residents were losing about 59 hours of sleep every year, and this figure is expected to increase to 67 hours by 2025. Of this, an additional 8 hours of loss is directly attributable to climate change – a large increase in the country’s major metros. At the same time, in Dehradun, there has been an increase of about 10 percent in lack of sleep in the last five years. People living in 22 cities of Maharashtra are losing an average of 76.3 hours of sleep every year, of which 5.8 hours is due to climate change. Similarly, the annual sleep loss in 11 cities of Uttar Pradesh is about 69 hours, of which 4.9 hours is directly linked to rising temperatures.
**Sleep loss has at least doubled**
The report shows that sleep loss due to rising temperatures has at least doubled compared to the 1970s. Globally, its greatest impact has been seen in cities in the Middle East, although parts of South India and South-East Asia also feature prominently in the list. Researchers believe that if nighttime temperatures continue to rise at this rate, sleep problems and their associated health challenges could become even more serious in the coming years.