SINGAPORE: Although sleep is necessary for people’s well-being, an employee took to a forum on Tuesday (Feb 18) to share that on average, he only gets four to five hours of sleep every night because of work. The post sparked a conversation about Singaporeans and their work-life balance, with many sharing some of the challenges they face when it comes to getting enough rest.
“Just another corporate slave on the way to the office with three and half hours of sleep,” the writer shared. “Job requires the consistent occasional OT more often than not. Sleep has been averaging four to five hours most days when I need to go office/site and I’m only able to sleep longer on weekends. But some weekends, if my partner wants to do some activities together, I don’t get enough sleep either. Sleep revenge procrastination is bad and very real. I reason it with needing to know what’s going on in the world with doom scrolling, while my sleep itself is doomed.”
According to a 2023 article by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore was the third most sleep-deprived city in a survey of 43 cities. After referring to such surveys, the writer asked, “How are you guys managing your sleep? What do you have to give up? Do you have a social life?”
A handful of Singaporeans took to the comments section to share their two cents on the matter. “If you are saying it’s doom scrolling, you already know it’s not for the reason of needing to know what happens in the world,” said one. “Our lives are full of different priorities. If sleep is your priority, then do something about it. Drop the doomscrolling, and perhaps focus on getting better sleep. For example, there are sleep gummies, or magnesium sprays that improve your quality of sleep. Not using devices at least 30 minutes before sleep also helps.
“I used to think sleep was not important and only slept two to three hours a day, but I married my wife who loves sleeping early and thankfully due to her now I have at least seven hours of good sleep, and it has been good for me. Do the changes you want in life, and be a better you.”
Others could relate to the writer, saying they share the same struggle. “I have awful sleep habits and hygiene!” shared one. “Probably one of my biggest issues – I can’t give you much advice but I hope you find solace in knowing there’s someone just like you. I don’t really have much of an in-person social life. I mostly just play online games and talk to friends online. Weekends are just for doing life admin and sleeping – maybe slip in a meet-up with a friend once a month.”
According to HealthHub Singapore, adults should aim to get around seven to nine hours of sleep every night. However, getting good quality sleep is also important. Some ways Singaporeans can improve their sleep is to stay active, regulate their caffeine intake, and stick to a relaxing wind-down routine before bed.
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