Akshaye Khanna is an actor par excellence – known not just for his intense performances and unconventional choice of roles, but also for his disciplined, no-frills lifestyle. Even though he prefers a real
life away from the limelight, recently the 50-year-old Rehman Dakait from Dhurandhar opened up about his diet and sleep habits, which most people thought was unusual. Akshaye revealed he skips breakfast but prioritises sleep – snoozing for nearly 10 hours daily.
Akshaye’s lifestyle is built on rest, not rush
In an industry known for erratic schedules, late-night shoots, and sleep deprivation, Akshaye’s emphasis on rest does sound atypical. The actor says he believes that regulated and uninterrupted sleep is the foundation of both physical health and mental clarity. For him, sleep is not a luxury but a non-negotiable part of daily life. “I sleep about ten hours a day,” he revealed in a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama. According to experts, sleep plays a critical role in muscle recovery, cognitive function, emotional regulation, and immunity. It is important for all adults, but especially for actors who have to undergo physical transformations, long shoots, and intense emotional scenes. Adequate sleep helps reduce stress hormones, improves focus, and enhances performance. Akshaye’s 10-hour sleep window is reportedly aligned with his body clock, allowing him to wake up refreshed without relying on stimulants.
Akshaye skips breakfast
In the same interview, Akshaye also revealed that he doesn’t eat breakfast. “I don’t have breakfast. I only eat lunch and then dinner, and between these meals also, I do not indulge in snacking,” he said. Skipping breakfast may sound counterintuitive, especially when it is often described as “the most important meal of the day”. However, according to experts, Akshaye’s approach aligns with intermittent fasting principles, which have gained popularity in recent years. Delaying the first meal of the day gives your digestive system a longer rest period, which some studies have suggested helps improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic health. However, doctors also note that intermittent fasting is not the same for everyone, but mostly for those individuals who maintain a balanced diet later in the day and listen closely to their body’s signals, it can be effective. In Akshaye’s case, skipping breakfast is not about extreme dieting or weight loss but about maintaining consistency, mental sharpness, and digestive comfort.
Why is a balanced lifestyle important?
According to experts, while sleep optimisation is universally beneficial, skipping breakfast should be totally personalised. Those who battle diseases and conditions like diabetes, hormonal imbalances, or high physical activity levels may need morning nutrition. However, prioritising sleep, as Akshaye does, is widely recommended, as chronic sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, obesity, depression, and weakened immunity. Sleep deficiency is linked to many chronic health problems – most of which are life-threatening and include heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Sleep deficiency is also linked to a higher chance of injury in adults, teens, and children.