Bupa Hong Kong has highlighted the effects of sleep deprivation on health and daily behaviour through its global video series, Health or Hype. The latest challenge saw fitness advocate Joe Wicks limit his sleep to around five hours a night for three consecutive days, under the observation of sleep specialist Dr Sophie Bostock. The experiment recorded increased irritability, daily screen time exceeding 13.5 hours and stronger cravings for refined carbohydrates. Bupa said the observations illustrated how insufficient sleep could affect wellbeing and daily performance, particularly among professionals working long hours.
Bupa Hong Kong specialist in family medicine Dr Lau Yue Young Geoffrey said sleep deprivation could disrupt appetite-regulating hormones, with lower levels of leptin, which signals fullness, and higher levels of ghrelin, which stimulates hunger, potentially increasing cravings for quick-energy foods. Reduced sleep could also weaken cognitive endurance and self-regulation, making people more susceptible to prolonged late-night screen use. Dr Sophie Bostock highlighted the role of deep sleep in memory consolidation and the body’s cellular and muscular repair, describing rest as an important contributor to physical and cognitive performance.
To encourage healthier sleep habits, Bupa recommended practical measures including spending 10 to 15 minutes outdoors in morning daylight, writing down the following day’s tasks to ease late-night mental activity, and incorporating gentle stretching or slow breathing into evening routines.