Despite its achievements, Singapore is the world’s most sleep-deprived nation. Long hours, screen time, and poor habits keep us up – so how do we fix it?
Throughout the years, Singapore has gone on to attain a neat little collection of coveted rankings. Of recent, statistics have allowed it to claim accolades such as “most innovative country”, “top city in the Asia-Pacific region”, which is based on how well people believe they can live and prosper in a particular city.
And another ranking it’s topped? Most tired country in the world.
While it’s nice to be positioned at the top of a list, it also depends on what the list is about. As for this one – not quite as enviable an accomplishment!
But exactly what has enabled us to boast such a title?
What the Stats Say About Singaporeans and Sleep
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This ranking, which came out of a Sleepseeker report, is based on a variety of factors, one of them being whether we get sufficient shuteye.
Which, regrettably, we don’t.
Singapore is one of the most sleep-deprived countries, perhaps catching about 6.5 hours of sleep on weekday nights. This is below the 7 to 9 hours recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.
Another important factor affecting whether we get a decent night’s rest is screen time. And, being placed third on the ranking for the amount of time spent on the internet at over 7 hours daily, Singaporeans sure have a lot of it.
However, having too much fun surfing the web, playing video games, or even clocking in a little overtime on your laptop, especially before bed, can delay our sleep.
“Sometimes the overstimulation and fatigue can affect sleep,” explained Dr Seng Kok Han, a Psychiatrist Consultant at Nobel Psychological Wellness Clinic. “The blue light from screens can also suppress melatonin production, which is something essential to help us sleep.”
Furthermore, Singapore has the second highest average annual working hours globally, which is at 2,238. This is interesting when we consider that the average working hours per week has actually fallen over the years, according to data by the Ministry of Manpower.
Paid Hours Worked (Per Week)
| Year | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Paid Hours Worked Per Employee | | | |||||||||
| Annual Average | 46.0 | 45.6 | 45.5 | 45.1 | 44.8 | 44.7 | 44.0 | 44.2 | 44.1 | 43.6 | n.a. |
| As at Mar | 45.9 | 45.6 | 45.5 | 45.2 | 44.8 | 44.6 | 44.4 | 44.2 | 44.2 | 43.7 | 43.3 |
| As at Jun | 46.1 | 45.6 | 45.6 | 45.2 | 44.9 | 44.7 | 43.4 | 44.3 | 43.8 | 43.4 | 43.3 |
| As at Sep | 46.0 | 45.6 | 45.6 | 45.1 | 44.9 | 44.7 | 43.8 | 44.3 | 44.0 | 43.7 | 43.3 |
| As at Dec | 45.8 | 45.5 | 45.3 | 45.0 | 44.7 | 44.7 | 44.3 | 44.2 | 44.2 | 43.4 | n.a. |
| Paid Overtime Hours Worked Per Employee | | ||||||||||
| Annual Average | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.2 | n.a. |
| As at Mar | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
| As at Jun | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| As at Sep | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.1 |
| As at Dec | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 2.3 | n.a. |
Source: Labour Market Survey, Manpower Research & Statistics Department, MOM
Does this mean we’re experiencing better work-life balance?
It’s hard to tell.
Despite this improvement, Singapore is still considered to have one of the longest working hours internationally.
It doesn’t help that sleep disorders, such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea, are quite common among the population.
For all the nation has achieved, Singapore citizens are overworked, overwhelmed, and underprivileged when it comes to sleep.
And this can give rise to a wealth of health issues.
What It Means to Be Sleep Deprived
Sacrificing sleep for work or other responsibilities is typical behaviour for Singaporeans. The irony is that while we believe this method can maximise our productivity, all it does is worsen it instead.
Research has already proven that a lack of sleep increases cognitive fatigue, making us less alert and responsive. As it is, we are all quite familiar with how the burden of a constant brain fog only slows down our day.
Beyond affecting our performance, being sleep deprived can make us more vulnerable to mood swings and memory issues. Even worse, due to the fact that it reduces our immune system’s ability to defend against ailments, it’s been linked to a heightened risk of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
In addition, a chronic lack of sleep can also lead to weight gain, and cause your skin to age faster than it should.
With all these cons to forgoing quality sleep, it’s important for us to start making a change for our long-term future.
After all, concealer can only go so far to cover up those premature wrinkles and eyebags.
How To Stop Being So Sleep Deprived
For most of us, being sleep deprived can be attributed to our lifestyle. While habits are hard to break, there are a few things we can do that will ease the way to ensuring we are less sleep deprived.
Establish a Bedtime Routine
A good way to break a habit is to override it with another. Rather than sleeping late, start slipping into bed at an earlier time. Eventually, your body will become more accustomed to falling asleep at this time.
To better prepare yourself for your nightly hibernation, you can also incorporate relaxing routines before bed. This includes playing calming music, enjoying a light read, or even getting some meditation in to help you wind down.
Limit Screen Time
It’s easy to get lost in scrolling on your phone, but you have to remember that the blue light exposure and mental stimulation set a bad precedent for sleep. As such, it’s best to turn off or put away any digital devices before bed.
To further aid your quest for better sleep, consider using dimmable lights in your bedroom. The darker a room, the more your body understands that it’s time to visit dreamland.
Cut Back on Caffeine
Caffeine can boost your energy and alertness, but that’s not exactly the effect you want late at night.
Try to avoid consuming coffee once the day hits the late afternoon, or 8 hours before bed. Although, if you suddenly need a pick-me-up at 7pm, make sure it’s decaffeinated.
Get Some Exercise In
Regular physical exercise can do wonders for not just your sleep, but your health in general. At the very least, it’s effective for promoting sleep quality, and helping to overcome the symptoms of insomnia.
However, try to ensure your workouts occur in the earlier parts of the day. Exercising at night can keep you wired up at the wrong time.
Try Melatonin Supplements
Melatonin is a hormone that helps to regulate our sleep. Taking it as a supplement can help adjust the body’s internal clock, and get us snoozing in no time. In any case, check with a doctor before adding any new supplements to your wellness regime.
These simple tips can put us on the path towards better sleep quality and overall wellbeing. Plus, it’s a small way to practice some patriotism by boosting our wellness as a nation – and hopefully getting us an improved international sleep ranking.
References
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- Dadgostar, H, et al. (2023). An Investigation on the Effect of Exercise on Insomnia Symptoms. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14, 16. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10080573/
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