Philips global sleep study finds Singaporeans’ sleep woes compounded by pandemic, yet more turning to telehealth for help

As with fears and concerns in any crisis, the pandemic has exacerbated the sleep woes of Singaporeans. Almost a year since the onset of COVID-19, according to Philips 2021 global sleep survey released to coincide with World Sleep Day 2021, Singaporeans are reporting sleeping less, averaging 6.8 hours of sleep per night (vs 7 hours in the 2020 survey) – 6.6 hours on weekdays (vs 6.7 hours in the 2020 survey) and 7.3 hours on the weekend (vs 7.5 hours in the 2020 survey).

Despite the challenges, Singaporeans are taking action in the quest for a better sleep – including turning to online resources and telehealth for help.

For half of the Singaporeans surveyed, their sleep patterns have been altered by the pandemic – close to three in 10 (28%) say that they now sleep less each night, with less than half (46%) feeling that they get enough sleep at night and just 21% saying that they feel well-rested most of the time when waking up in the morning.

Falling into a deep, continuous sleep is a challenge for many, with those surveyed facing difficulties like waking up during the night (40%), falling asleep (35%), and staying asleep (21%).

Worry and stress rank as the top reason for Singaporeans’ lack of sleep (31%), as well as their sleeping environment (16%), and mobile devices such as phones and tablets (13%).

Singaporeans kept awake by worry/stress say they worry most about their work responsibilities (58%), financial challenges (56%), family (32%), and their own/families’ health (30%). Almost a third (31%) also worry about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

For those accustomed to using their mobile phones in bed, nearly half (49%) say it’s the last thing they do before falling asleep and the first thing they do when waking up (45%). Most use it for entertainment (47%), charging their phone overnight next to their bed (32%), and over one in 10 (15%) even respond to texts and calls that wake them up.

The majority of respondents who use their phone before falling asleep (69%) admit that it leads them to fall asleep later than they would like to, due to scrolling through social media (71%), watching videos (62%), texting (45%), checking emails (39%), or reading news about the COVID-19 pandemic (28%).

To get a better night’s sleep, Singaporeans are now experimenting with a variety of methods, including having a set bedtime/wake-up schedule (26%), watching television (24%), reducing caffeine consumption (22%), reading or playing soothing music (19%), and using sleep trackers or monitoring their sleep (10%).

Positively, Singaporeans are also turning towards telehealth and online health resources to address sleep issues. Over half (57%) say the first time they had a telehealth appointment was during the pandemic. With the increased reliance on telehealth during the pandemic, four in ten (40%) respondents expressed a willingness to seek help for sleep related concerns in future from a sleep specialist via telehealth services, although many have yet to take that step.

While Singaporeans are positively seeking ways to address sleep issues, fear continues to hinder individuals from getting diagnosed for sleep conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). One in five (21%) are afraid to take a sleep test as they don’t want to know if they have OSA, with 17% believing it is not necessary to be treated for OSA.

In conjunction with World Sleep Day, Philips has launched an Online Sleep Quiz and Home Sleep Test for individuals to assess their sleep issues and get diagnosed for OSA. Participants who are assessed as having high risk of OSA through the online sleep quiz will be offered a home sleep test at S$39 (U.P: S$350), all done in the comfort of their home. Should they be diagnosed with OSA, they will be referred to a sleep specialist for a follow-up.