Snoozing seems almost scandalous in a city that literally never sleeps. We hustle, grind, and keep the lights on 24/7. But let’s face it, sleep is not a sign of weakness—it’s for the wise. Sleep is essential for health, productivity, and that elusive concept: Happiness. Yet, snatching those precious Zzzs can feel like an impossible task, an ongoing battle against societal pressures, and our own wired world.
Our love for efficiency and productivity has us collectively running on fumes. According to a 2024 sleep study by YouGov, less than half of Singaporeans surveyed gets the recommended seven hours of sleep. About one-fifth say they sleep five hours or less.
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STARTING YOUNG
Many children, weighed down by a packed academic and extra-curricular schedule, are routinely short on sleep. The onset of puberty causes a shift in the body’s circadian rhythms and production of the sleep hormone melatonin, which causes the progressive delay in sleep and wake times in adolescents. Teenagers’ sleep needs are further squeezed by the demands of school and the allure of glowing screens. Adults, caught in the relentless current of work deadlines, family and social commitments, find themselves sacrificing sleep at the altar of productivity.
Assistant Professor June Lo Chi Yan from the Centre for Sleep and Cognition at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine shares the statistics: “On school days, 64.5 per cent of school-age children in Singapore have less than the minimum recommended sleep duration of nine hours, and 85 per cent of adolescent students sleep less than the minimum age-appropriate duration of eight hours. Adults are recommended to sleep at least seven hours a night, but on weekdays, 60 to 75 per cent fail to do so.”
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WOMENS' STRUGGLE
Women, in particular, struggle to get enough sleep. According to Lo, a higher percentage of women report having sleep problems as compared to men (are we surprised?). Work, family, friends, home matters, self-care… being a multitasker means that the brain never completely switches off. And if women continue to let their brains go into overdrive and cut back on rest, it opens them up to a gamut of health problems like weight loss or weight gain, skin issues, hypertension, depression, decreased work productivity and low libido.
If you think that sleeping through the weekend makes up for your sleep debt, think again. Research suggests catching up on sleep offers only partial recovery, if any, for some crucial cognitive functions like staying focused. “Sustained attention may not reach a well-rested, optimal level even after we have stayed in bed for 12 hours over four consecutive nights. That’s simply because we’re clocking in a mere four to five hours the rest of the week,” warns Lo.
So, what’s the solution? Schools could adopt more flexible start times to take into account teenagers’ natural sleep-wake patterns. Employers can discourage the entrenched culture of working long hours and promote greater work-life balance. The push towards more flexible work arrangements in the workplace with the implementation of new tripartite guidelines from December 2024, could have a positive impact on those with sleep troubles. Lo notes, “This flexibility can improve sleep patterns by allowing employees to adjust their work schedules to fit their natural sleep-wake cycles (chronotype). For example, ‘morning larks’ can start and finish earlier, while ‘night owls’ can work later. Additionally, with remote work becoming more common, individuals might utilise their previously spent commute time for extra sleep during work-from-home days.”
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FIXING SLEEP DEBT
On the individual front, we can establish healthy sleep routines, create a relaxing environment and power off electronics before bedtime. Lo strongly advises everyone to prioritise their sleep over competing activities. “At bedtime, many individuals procrastinate and want to have some me-time like playing online games or watching videos. These activities do not just simply delay our bedtimes and shorten our sleep opportunities, but many of them also make us cognitively aroused such that after these activities, when we are ready to go to bed, we struggle to fall asleep,” she notes.
She also highlights the dangers of blue light emitted from devices, which have been found to postpone the secretion of the sleep hormone, melatonin, which signals to our body that it is time to sleep. If counting sheep doesn’t work, oral sleep aids like melatonin gummies, often used to cope with jet lag or sleep disturbances associated with shift work, can help. While Lo sees little harm in popping these, she cautions users to pay attention to the time of day when taking them: “Melatonin supplements can have the opposite effects if taken at the wrong time of day.” If you’re serious about getting some shut-eye, Lo advises consulting your general practitioner (GP) for an initial assessment before self-medicating.
If chronic or loud snoring is keeping you up at night, it could be indicative of something more serious like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). “OSA is a serious medical condition where the body is unable to take in the oxygen it needs because of blockages that occur in the upper airway. This in turn fragments and disrupts the quality of sleep,” says Dr Shaun Loh, a consultant at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Singapore General Hospital, and the SingHealth-Duke NUS Sleep Centre. He warns that if not treated, OSA may lead to long-term issues like high blood pressure, and increased risk of cardiovascular problems and certain cancers.
The quest for sufficient sleep in Singapore is a path paved with obstacles. But armed with awareness and a collective effort, we can reclaim our right to a good night’s sleep, and in turn, unlock a healthier, happier nation.