From doomscrolling, work, and environment - Here are the reasons why Indians sleep less

As per Wakefit.co's Great Indian Sleep Scorecard (GISS) 2022,  57% increase in Indians staying up late doomscrolling. The 5th edition of the Great Indian Sleep Scorecard shows that the sleep habits of under 18-year-olds have been worst impacted by the pandemic

The GISS report has been tracking India's sleep habits since 2018 and has collected over 2 Lakh responses from across the country. 

As per studies, those living in the metropolitan cities are getting the worst sleep - one in four Indians feel that they have a sleep disorder.

- 59% of India's people go to sleep after 11 pm and one of the biggest reasons for this is social media

- 36% of people believe that their sleep is affected by digital media

- 88% of people agreed that they check their phones just before sleeping. However, in the last year's survey, 92% of the people were doing so.

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But compared to last year, at least 4 per cent fewer people check their phones before sleeping this year and about 74% of the people have made dedicated space for sleep in their house.

However, the major problem occurs for individuals between the age of 18 to 24 years who complain that their sleep gets disturbed because of the environment of their room. 80 per cent of youth under the age of 18 admitted that they do not feel fresh after getting up. One out of every four Indians feels that they have been suffering from insomnia.

There has been a 57% increase in the habit of staying on social media late at night compared to before Covid-19. 

- 31% of women and 23% of men feel that they have lost their sleep
- 38% of women and 31% of men feel that social media keeps them awake longer
- 50% of teens under the age of 18 also feel they have had insomnia – that is, they suffer from sleep disorders.

However, since the advent of the hybrid work culture i.e. Work From Home (WFH), now people's habit of sleeping or feeling asleep during work has decreased. In the 2020 survey, where 83% of people used to sleep during work, it has now come down to 48% in 2022. This means that now they are able to strike a better balance between work and home.

As far as city surveys go, 

- 40% of people in Kolkata sleep after midnight

- 40% of the people in Hyderabad stay up late due to work

- 36% of people in Gurugram also believe that work delays them in sleeping

- However, 39% in Mumbai and 29% in Gurugram believe that a lot of time is being wasted while looking at electronic devices

- 43% of Delhiites also feel that they need to reduce their time on digital media.

As the largest sleep study with over 2 Lakh responses garnered across 5 years and 30,000+ responses this year, the GISS study highlights key observations in India’s sleep patterns. The report also shares stark differences in sleep patterns of Indians pre and post-pandemic. The findings have been elucidated below.

Technology is the biggest threat to blissful sleep…

59% of India goes to bed past the ideal bedtime of 11 pm, and social media browsing is the major factor keeping the late-night owls up, with 36% of respondents blaming digital devices for their sleeplessness. An alarming 88% of people use their phone just before bedtime and while this number has come down from last year (92%), it is still a gigantic indicator of addiction to digital devices.

…but awareness seems to be on the rise

According to the report, people have become conscious of their sleep space and are taking steps to spruce it up. They have started adapting to some aspects of a new lifestyle caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The GISS 2022 report shows that around 74% of people claimed to have a dedicated sleep space in their homes. This number was significantly higher among people below 18 years of age with 80% of people sharing this habit. Moreover, 65% of the respondents make their bed immediately after waking up, indicating a closer affinity to their bed spaces.  

Youngsters rank high on awareness but low on sleep health!

It is a proven fact that people simply sleep better when their bedrooms are optimized for light, noise levels, temperature, and comfort. The report indicated that 50% of 18 to 24-year-olds claimed that their bedroom environment has been affecting their sleep health, while 40% of the same group did not have a dedicated sleep space for themselves. However, the senior citizen group seemed to care the least about dedicated sleep spaces with only 18% of them claiming that their sleep is impacted by their bedroom environment.  Despite a dedicated sleeping space, 80% of people below 18 years of age did not feel refreshed after waking up.

Women and youngsters fall prey to the fear of insomnia

According to the data, one in four Indians think they have insomnia. Moreover, there has been an increase in late-night social media browsing which has increased by 57% this year as compared to pre-pandemic years. The fear of insomnia seems to be higher in women at 31% as compared to men at 23%. About 38% of women and 31% of men feel browsing social media keeps them awake till late at night. Additionally, 50% of people below 18 years of age feel they have insomnia. Out of this group, 44% believe that a better mattress would help improve their sleep.

Hybrid work culture a boon

The hybrid working model has made a positive impact on individuals. The percentage of people feeling sleepy during work hours has decreased from 83% in 2020 (pre-pandemic period) to 48% in 2022. The hybrid working model seems to have made a positive impact on individuals due to its flexibility to take naps at regular intervals. People seem to have thrived in this kind of work environment, balancing office and home. The report shows a marginal decrease of 5% in people staying up late due to work since last year. Although marginal, there seems to be a positive impact of the hybrid workplace on late night workaholics. 

Metro cities and their connection with digital media

People across different cities have cited varied reasons for sleeping late at night. Kolkata has unseated Mumbai in terms of burning the midnight oil as compared to last year with over 40% of the city going to bed well after midnight. About 40% of the Hyderabad population said their work required them to stay up late, followed by Gurugram at 36%. Electronic devices and social media also contribute to late sleeping patterns. About 39% Mumbai population is up late, browsing social media and 29% of Gurugram stays awake because of late-night binge-watching. In contrast, 42% of the Bangalore population and 43% of Delhites emphasized reducing the usage of digital devices before sleep.

Commenting on the report, Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, Co-founder and Director, Wakefit.co, said, "At Wakefit.co, we have been analyzing the sleep patterns of people from across the country to understand how India has been sleeping over the last five years. Our findings have not only helped gain better insights into the science of sleep but have also allowed us to educate people about the importance of sleep."

 He added, "In 2022, we observed that over 59% of people went to bed past the ideal bedtime of 11 pm. As a sleep and home solutions provider, our goal is to encourage more and more people in the country to focus on sleep and the advantages of maintaining a consistent sleep cycle. We believe that the findings in the study will resonate with people from across the country. It will also help them understand what could be impacting their sleep, and inspire them to take appropriate steps towards better sleep health."

The Great Indian Sleep Scorecard is an ongoing survey and the 2022 edition received 30000+ responses, recorded from March 2021 to February 2022. It covers respondents in all Indian cities, across age groups and various demographics. The survey has collected over 2 Lakh responses to date for the last 5 years.