Why Indians have trouble falling asleep
Indian Express “ignorance about sleep is quite profound" among athletes. Though both Bindra and Chopra won golds, in an intensely competitive forum where everyone is looking for an edge, “getting optimum sleep and restorative sleep definitely gives them that edge." Sharma is couching this in terms of removing the chance that lack of sleep might cost India a medal. But even those of us not chasing an Olympic medal know a thing or two about poor sleep.
I was the kind of boy who fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Now I am the man who often wakes up with a jolt in the middle of night and frets and fumes listening to the city asleep around him. Every night I go to bed wondering what kind of night it will be.
Every night of restful sleep feels like a minor victory. I understand it is part of growing older. But there’s something deeper going on.
The Sleep Survey 2024 conducted by ResMed, a medical device company, surveyed 17 countries. It concluded that only 27% of Indians reported a good night’s sleep each week. A 2019 study by fitness band maker Fitbit concluded after analysing the data from Fitbit users that Indians were the second most sleep-deprived, among all the countries they surveyed, with Japan heading the list.
And their REM (rapid eye movement) sleep time was among the lowest in the world. I know this only too well. Worried about my sleep, I got one of the fitness bands that would help monitor it.
It ended up adding to my stress. It felt like I was taking a sleeping test every night. Even if I woke up refreshed and happy, it was never good enough for the nitpicking fitness band.
“Try going to bed earlier," it would scold me. My deep sleep time was invariably too low. “Don’t strain yourself too much,
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