Filipinos most sleepless people in Asia, 4th in the world — study

MANILA, Philippines — Did you know that Filipinos are the most sleepless people in Asia? 

According to the 2023 study of consumer research and data analytics company Milieu Insight, Philippines had the most people in Asia (56%) who had less than seven hours of sleep per day, followed by Thailand (49%), Indonesia (44%), Vietnam (43%), Singapore (42%) and Myanmar (39%). 

The same study claimed that Filipinos are also the fourth in the world to be lacking in sleep.

A sleep tracking application, Sleep Cycle, showed from its survey that Filipino adults only get an average of six hours and 30 minutes per day of sleep.

Harvard Medical School recommended at least seven hours of “quality” sleep for every person, no matter what the age, for body restoration and to prevent higher risk of acquiring diseases such as Diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and mental health problems like depression and anxiety. 

Last December, a video of a three-year-old Filipino child sleeping in an Ikea showroom bed went viral, with over 4.5 million views on TikTok.

In its new campaign, “Wake up! It’s time to sleep,” the Swedish lifestyle brand features three different customers falling asleep at their showroom, including the three-year-old girl. The campaign aims to call on Filipinos to give more attention to having better sleep. It also encourages Filipino customers to experience sleep solutions before purchasing at its showroom in Pasay City.

According to the brand’s Life at Home Report 2023, 44% of Filipinos consider sleeping as the main driver of nurturing at home. Understanding how vital sleep is to Filipinos, the brand offers sleep solutions focused on different elements that contribute to better sleep — from comfort, to light, temperature, sound, air quality, and organization. 

Feeling comfortable is a basic need for achieving “quality” sleep. In a comfortable bed, the right mattress and pillow are important for a good night’s sleep. Among the good mattresses that Ikea recommends are Åfjäll foam mattress or firm ones like Valevåg Pocket spring mattress. While for ergonomic pillows, options include Mjölkklocka, which has memory foam for full comfort whether you’re a side or a back sleeper.