Across India's crowded cities, the late finish and the midnight snack have quietly become ordinary parts of life, shaped by demanding work hours and the pull of screens. A Manipal Hospital liver surgeon, Dr Shruthi H.S. Reddy, is asking people to notice what the night is doing to the body's oldest rhythms. Her point is that sleep, long overlooked beside diet and exercise, helps govern how the liver processes sugar and fat, so an unremarkable evening may leave a lasting mark on the organ that quietly keeps us going.
Late Nights, Snacks and Alcohol May Quietly Strain Your Liver, Surgeon Warns
Giving it the rest and routine it needs
Mark
Why does a liver surgeon talk about sleep at all?
Mimi
Because Dr Reddy says people focus on diet and exercise and overlook sleep. The body's 24-hour clock governs digestion and metabolism, so disrupting it affects how blood sugar and fat are handled.
Mark
And that leads to fatty liver?
Mimi
Over time it may raise the risk of MASLD, the condition commonly called fatty liver disease. If unmanaged, it can progress to inflammation, scarring and cirrhosis.
Luke
Careful with the wording, though. "May raise the risk" is the strongest claim here. The piece says studies suggest poor sleep plays a significant role, but it cites none and gives no numbers.
Mark
So how much more likely is fatty liver for a night owl?
Luke
The article doesn't say. No figures, no study names, no timeframe for "over time."
Mimi
What it does describe is a loop. Poor sleep drives cravings, late snacks are heavy in fat and sugar, and that worsens sleep again.
Mark
What about the idea that a drink helps you sleep?
Mimi
Experts say it may speed falling asleep but cuts deep and REM sleep, so people wake more in the second half of the night.
Luke
Also note the claim that no level of alcohol is completely safe. It's attributed to experts generally, not to a specific study, so treat it as stated guidance rather than something the piece demonstrates.
Mark
Can sleeping in on weekends fix it?
Mimi
Only partly. Catch-up sleep may help reset the clock, but it doesn't replace consistent sleep of about seven to eight hours.
Il Polso
- Late-night work, screens and after-hours snacking are becoming routine across Indian cities, and few people realise the liver is absorbing the cost.
- Disrupted sleep rhythms may be impairing blood sugar and fat metabolism, edging people toward fatty liver disease without obvious warning.
- Alcohol and sugary or fatty late snacks compound the strain, cutting into the deep and REM sleep the body needs to recover.
- Weekend catch-up sleep is not enough to undo the damage, so the advice is to settle into a steady routine of 7-8 hours and lighter evenings now.
Across India's crowded cities, the late finish and the midnight snack have quietly become ordinary parts of life, shaped by demanding work hours and the pull of screens. A Manipal Hospital liver surgeon, Dr Shruthi H.S. Reddy, is asking people to notice what the night is doing to the body's oldest rhythms. Her point is that sleep, long overlooked beside diet and exercise, helps govern how the liver processes sugar and fat, so an unremarkable evening may leave a lasting mark on the organ that quietly keeps us going.
In India's big cities, the midnight finish has become ordinary. Deadlines stretch late, global work keeps odd hours, and one more episode often turns into three. Add chips, a sugary snack, some caffeine or a late drink, and the evening may be quietly loading the liver.
Dr Shruthi H.S. Reddy, a liver and transplant surgeon at Manipal Hospital on Old Airport Road, says these habits matter more than many people think. Sleep and liver health affect each other in both directions: poor sleep can strain the liver, and liver trouble can disturb sleep. Staying up late repeatedly disrupts the circadian rhythm, the body's 24-hour clock, making it harder to manage blood sugar and fat. Over time this may raise the risk of fatty liver disease, now called MASLD, which can progress to inflammation, scarring and cirrhosis if left unchecked.
Sleeping in on weekends does not fully repair the damage, though it may help partly reset the clock. Doctors advise seven to eight hours a night, along with regular exercise and daylight exposure. Alcohol adds another layer. Though a drink can help people nod off, it erodes deep and REM sleep, leaving them tired despite a full night in bed, and it adds steady pressure on a liver that can regenerate only so far. The suggestions are simple: keep a regular sleep schedule, eat less late at night, choose lighter snacks, drink less and move more. The liver works around the clock, and it needs rest and routine too.
In India's big cities, a midnight finish is now ordinary. Office deadlines run into the night, global work schedules demand odd hours, and one more episode of a web series is rarely just one. Add a packet of chips, a sugary snack, some caffeine or a late drink, and an unremarkable evening may be putting extra stress on the liver.
That is the warning from Dr Shruthi H.S. Reddy, Consultant for HPB and Liver and Pancreatic Transplant Surgery and Robotic Surgery at Manipal Hospital on Old Airport Road. She says these habits are quietly affecting liver health. People who think about diet and exercise, she notes, often overlook sleep. The link runs both ways: poor sleep can impair liver function, and liver problems can in turn disturb sleep.
The explanation starts with the circadian rhythm, the body's natural 24-hour cycle, which governs sleep, digestion, hormone production and metabolism. Staying up late on a regular basis disrupts it. The body then handles food less efficiently and has a harder time regulating blood sugar and fat metabolism. Over time, this may raise the risk of Metabolically Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, or MASLD, commonly called fatty liver disease. Studies suggest poor sleep quality plays a significant role in the condition.
Many people assume they can repay the debt by sleeping in. Experts say daytime naps do not fully undo the effects of repeated sleep deprivation. Catch-up sleep at the weekend may partly reset the body's clock, but it is no substitute for consistent, good-quality sleep. Doctors recommend roughly seven to eight hours a night, and say regular exercise and time in natural sunlight can help restore the internal rhythm.
What people eat at night adds to the problem. Stress, long shifts and entertainment push many toward calorie-rich snacks, fast food, sugary treats and caffeinated drinks. These foods tend to be high in fat and sugar, and are harder to digest when the body is preparing for rest. Poor sleep also increases cravings for unhealthy food, so a cycle forms: too little sleep leads to overeating, and unhealthy eating worsens sleep. Left unmanaged, fatty liver disease can progress to liver inflammation, scarring and even cirrhosis.
Alcohol is a further complication. Many believe a drink helps them sleep, and it may help them fall asleep faster, but experts say it lowers sleep quality. It interferes with deep sleep and REM sleep, the stages needed for physical recovery, memory and brain function. Drinkers tend to wake more often in the second half of the night and feel tired despite enough hours in bed.
Regular drinking also puts added pressure on the liver. The organ regenerates impressively, but repeated alcohol exposure can gradually damage its cells. Experts also point out that no level of alcohol consumption is completely safe for long-term health.
The suggested remedies are modest: keep a regular sleep schedule, limit late-night eating, choose healthier snacks, cut back on alcohol and stay physically active. The liver works around the clock, and the advice is to give it the rest and routine it needs now, to help avoid serious problems later.
Citazioni salienti
Daytime naps do not completely reverse the effects of repeated sleep deprivation, and weekend catch-up sleep is no substitute for consistent sleep.— Experts cited in the India Today report
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