Saishwari Patil, an investment banker from Bengaluru, has turned her love for sleep into a profitable business by being the ‘Sleep Champion’ in Wakefit’s third edition of its unique sleep internship contest, where she bagged Rs 9 lakh. This distinct program encourages people to focus on sleep, trying to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep at night and 20-minute power naps during the day.
Patil was one of 12 'sleep interns’ who got a premium mattress and a contactless sleep tracking device to monitor their sleep. During the show, the participants also watched workshops conducted by sleep specialists in order to improve their night’s sleep and improve their chances of becoming the winner. In three years of the show, Wakefit has received more than 1 million applications and has hired 51 interns while paying Rs 63 lakh in stipends.
Kunal Dubey, Wakefit’s Chief Marketing Officer, said that the program helps in a fun way remind Indians about the value of sleep. As per Wakefit’s Great Indian Sleep Scorecard 2024, 48% of Indians wake up tired. This is because, despite the long working hours, poor sleep environment, and stress.
Patil also pointed out that it was a great discipline to stick to the schedules of waking up and going to bed. “If you want to score well, you need to reduce the amount of time spent on activities that can be done late at night, such as watching movies,” she said. She also explained how the COVID-19 affected her daily schedule and how her working schedule affected her sleeping patterns.
Nonetheless, through the competition that the competition can put pressure on, Patil benefitted from the experience. “I was amazed to discover how the human body needs deep and REM sleep to repair itself physically and emotionally,” she said. Her adventure also emphasised the importance of good sleep and paved the way to her passion to fight for better sleeping habits.
