Climate change has at least doubled temperature-related sleep loss since the early 1970s across all 1,338 major cities studied worldwide, according to a new report by Climate Central.
The report estimates that the average person globally lost about 56 hours of sleep over the past five years due to extreme heat. More than 10% of that sleep loss was directly attributable to climate change, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, as well as deforestation.
Climate Central, an independent organisation of scientists and communicators, researches climate change and its impact on people's lives.
This study, which combines state-of-the-art research on how temperature affects sleep with the most recent attribution science, is the first to directly estimate the number of hours of sleep lost as a result of climate change.
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India Among The Hardest-Hit Countries
India becomes a global hotspot for sleep loss due to climate change. Southern Indian cities are among the most affected outside of the Middle East, with an annual sleep loss of 78-91 hours, of which 8-9 hours are directly related to climate change, according to the survey.
The study claims that inadequate sleep is linked to many negative health effects, such as decreased productivity, lower immunity, cardiovascular illnesses, poorer mental health, and diminished cognitive function. In India, where millions of people reside in densely populated metropolitan areas impacted by the urban heat island effect — which traps heat and keeps cities warmer after sunset — these hazards are probably going to be especially serious.
Additionally, vulnerable groups — such as women, low-income households, elderly persons, and those without access to sufficient cooling — are disproportionately affected.
Southern States Worst Affected
While Tamil Nadu and Karnataka exhibit the largest climate change signal, southern states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh record the highest overall temperature-related sleep loss. This implies that in certain of India's hottest locations, persistently hot and muggy evenings are not just decreasing sleep, but that climate change is also increasingly exacerbating these losses.
With the greatest yearly average of 7.9 extra hours of sleep loss per person in the nation, Tamil Nadu stands out as the state most impacted by climate change. Even while overall sleep loss is lower than in southern coastal states, Karnataka (7.8 hours) and Rajasthan (7.0 hours) both report considerable climate change-attributable sleep loss.
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Chennai Tops Major Cities
Among India's main metropolises, Chennai has the largest average yearly sleep loss of 93 hours, of which 5 hours are directly related to climate change. Due to consistently hot and muggy nights, Mumbai (84 hours) and Kolkata (80 hours) also have some of the highest rates of overall sleep loss.
Among India's main metropolises, Bengaluru has the largest climate change signal, with an annual sleep loss of eight extra hours. Climate change is responsible for over 12% of all temperature-related sleep loss in the city.
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