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
Mumbai, March 23, 2022: On World Sleep Day, Wakefit.co, one of India’s largest D2C sleep and home solutions providers released the 5th edition of its Great Indian Sleep Scorecard (GISS) 2022. The key findings indicate that a whopping 59% of India’s population goes to sleep post 11 pm. This is a worrying sign, as experts believe that the ideal bedtime for adults is between 10 pm to 11 pm. The use of electronic devices at night and stressful work culture have also impacted sleep patterns. The report indicates that these trends vary across different genders and age groups. To combat these deteriorating sleep habits, people seemed to rely on aspects such as a dedicated sleeping space and a good mattress.
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 bed time 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 since the last 5 years.
