India's Sleep Crisis: Survey reveals shocking 38 percent surge in nighttime anxiety over future

The survey also showed a whopping 87 percent of Indians still use their phones just before bedtime.

The key findings in 2023 indicated that 55 percent of India’s population has been going to bed post 11 pm, while last year the number was 66 percent.

Despite a reduction in late-night sleepers since last year, the report revealed an 11 percent increase since 2022 in the number of people who didn’t feel refreshed on waking up in the morning.

Worrying about the future combined with excessive usage of cell phones before bedtime has led to deteriorating sleep habits in Indians.

As the largest sleep study with close to 2.5 lakh responses garnered across 6 years and over 10,000 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 over the last year.

The key findings and observations from the survey have been elucidated below:

Early to bed, tired to rise

Despite more individuals going to bed early since last year, the report indicated an 11% spike this year in people not feeling refreshed after waking up. 61% of male respondents stated that they felt refreshed in the mornings, which was significantly higher compared to 53% of female respondents.

Compared to last year, the number of women feeling refreshed upon waking up in the morning has reduced by 25%.

This trend has also been witnessed across workplaces with 67% of women feeling sleepy during work hours as against 56% of men.

Overall, the year saw a 21% increase in people feeling sleepy during work hours as compared to last year.

Gen-Z focusing on ideal sleep time

The year witnessed a growing number of under 18-year-olds prioritizing their sleep health. The report underlines a steady increase in the number of people across age groups going to bed before 10 p.m, which increased by 65% since last year. The most significant contributor to this was a 200% increase in the number of under 18-year-olds going to bed before 10 p.m.

Napping anywhere, anytime

The year 2023 witnessed a 42% increase in people who slept in places other than their beds.

The report also indicated a 75% increase in under-18-year-olds, and a 38% increase in 25 to 34-year-olds sleeping in places other than their beds. Not maintaining a dedicated sleep space can be a serious cause of disturbed sleep.

There was also a 54% increase in women sleeping in places other than their beds compared to last year, with a 42% increase in men doing the same. This ties in with individuals not feeling refreshed despite going to bed on time.

Social media reigns supreme

Checking social media before bedtime keeps people awake as the use of electronics can affect sleep through the stimulating effects of light emitted by digital screens.

The report indicates that 87% of Indians use their phones before bedtime, with 78% of people staying up late browsing social media in the age group of 25 to 34.

Despite an increase in social media consumption, late-night binge-watching has reduced by 40% in women vs 33% in men since last year.

Insomnia continues to grapple the nation

As per the report, almost one in three people believe that they have insomnia, with 90% of Indians waking up at least once or twice during the night.

Insomnia was more prevalent among middle-aged people, with 56% of those aged 25 to 34 reporting it.

Even 40% of young individuals under the age of 18 stated that they felt that they were insomniacs.

The data highlighted an increase in people worrying about their future late at night, which has risen by 38% this year. While this year saw a 40% increase in men worrying about their future, this number increased by 28% among women.

Identifying solutions for better sleep

The report indicated a 24% increase since last year in women who said their bedroom environment has been impacting their sleep.

There was also a 24% increase in the number of people who believe a better mattress will help improve the quality of sleep.

This indicates that people have identified some of the root causes for their poor sleep quality and are interested in making amends to better their sleep health.

Sharing his thoughts on the findings of the report, Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, Director and Co-Founder, Wakefit.co, said, “In 2016 we Wakefit.co and pioneered conversations about enabling a healthy sleep culture in India. In our endeavour to lay the groundwork for empowering sleep positivity among Indians, we conceptualized the Great Indian Sleep Scorecard. The report serves as a yardstick to ascertain India’s sleep patterns, and understand trends that determine the country’s sleep behaviours and preferences. The sixth edition of our report, which has clocked in close to 2.5 lakh responses across 6 editions, is a continued step toward educating Indian consumers about the importance of sleep health.”

The Great Indian Sleep Scorecard is an ongoing survey and the 2023 edition received 10,000+ responses, recorded from March 2022 to February 2023. It covers respondents in all Indian cities, across age groups, and various demographics. The survey has collected close to 2.5 lakh responses to date for the last 6 years.