The industry of sleep

From temperature-regulated pillows to sleep apps and books designed to make you hit the sack, it's a sign of the times that everyone is in the business of helping us get more Zs

When The Tranquility Pod - a $30,000 waterbed that gently vibrates you to sleep - launched a few years ago, people snorted and said, "In your dreams". But as the number of insomniacs continued to rise, so did the level of innovation for those in the business of putting us to sleep. Sheets that heat and cool according to your body temperature so you don't wake up in a sweat. White noise machines for those who find the silence of the night too loud. Anti-snoring devices that inflate and deflate your pillow when it detects your snores so you 'cut it out' before your partner asks you to. If there's anything to indicate we have a problem with getting our 40 winks, the ever-burgeoning market for sleeping aids is it.

Sift through the gimmickry
In the UAE alone, recent surveys note that 90 per cent of Dubai residents are sleep-deprived. Dr Khalid Iqbal, specialist ENT surgeon at Aster Clinic, Discovery Gardens, affirms he sees such patients at least once or twice a day - even though they are not a specialised centre for sleep medicine. It's not a problem specific to the UAE, but in "all developed countries" - thanks to the combination of an ageing population, poor lifestyles and stress.
One of the most common disorders he sees patients for is obstructive sleep apnea that causes sufferers to briefly stop breathing while asleep. Left untreated, he says, it could well shorten one's lifespan - if not kill you, since it can cause excessive daytime fatigue, pulmonary hypertension, strokes and more.
It was, therefore, no exaggeration when researchers recently declared sleep deprivation the new smoking - a warning that holds true for self-declared night owls too. "There are people who claim to not need eight hours of sleep and who say they feel perfectly refreshed after five, or even three, hours of sleep," says the specialist. "Science shows that such sleep deprivation is harmful for the human body - which needs at least eight hours (and more for kids) - as the opposite leads to higher cognitive deficits, including delayed reaction time, poor judgement and even risky behaviour."
As a doctor, he sees several products designed to help patients sleep better - some scientifically-approved, others best avoided. "For patients with sleep apnea, for example, CPAP machines are often the first line of treatment and have consistently given excellent results. There are certain pills that have been approved and do get prescribed by doctors too."
He advises caution though, as a lot of over-the-counter medication and new-fangled sleep gadgets are no more than "marketing gimmickry". Yet others are harmless enough and subject to personal discretion. "There are some herbal remedies that promise to aid sleep - their effectiveness will differ from person to person. If lavender oil helps an individual fall asleep though, I don't see anything wrong with that."

ADVOCATING BETTER SLEEP: (from left to right) Dr Khalid Iqbal; Hana-Lia Krawchuk; Nikhil Kapur

Good night, baby
Kissing your shuteye goodbye is considered a given especially when you have a new baby, and many bleary-eyed parents have long resigned themselves to spending the wee hours of the morning pacing with a tot, instead of lost in slumber. It only stands to reason, therefore, that one of the biggest segments of this industry caters to parents of newborn babies who refuse to sleep. Just try searching for sleep experts in the city: you're likely to get a whole list of training consultants for infants, before you get any options for adults.
Australian Hana-Lia Krawchuk tells of how she and her husband spent 18 sleepless months when their firstborn Elijah came into their lives in 2008. They spent "hundreds of dollars" on products that promised to restore their sleep - to no avail. "Wraps with Velcro, press studs, wraps with no closures - you name it, I'd tried it all," says the now-41-year-old. "Elijah wouldn't sleep for more than 45 minutes at a time, so as you can imagine, we were at breaking point."
Hana noticed that the wraps she used for Elijah would often unravel up over his face, posing safety issues - but also because he did not want to sleep with his arms bound to his body. "He wanted access to his hands so he could move them, suck on them and rub his cheeks," she explains. "I later discovered that all babies do this to soothe themselves, so denying them of their hands while swaddled did not make any sense to me."
Determined to find a better way, Hana set out to create it and is, today, the founder of Love To Dream, which offers breakthrough swaddling solutions, available in 43 countries - including the UAE. Hana's 'eureka' moment came when she designed a swaddle that allowed babies to sleep with their hands up, instead of cocooned next to their bodies - and testifies of the "millions of families" who tell her their babies are finally sleeping through the night.
If there's one thing that throws us off though, it's the polarising nature of research. What's sworn by today is turned on its head and discarded so swiftly tomorrow that it's often difficult for anyone to make a sure judgement call. Commenting on why her design is based on research that is contrarian to tradition, the mum-of-two quips, "Parenting recommendations evolve continuously - that is why we often disagree with our mothers on how to parent! On a serious note though, if you Google 'sleeping baby', most of the images that come up of babies sleeping on their backs (the safest position) will show them sleeping with their arms naturally up. This in itself shows us that this is a baby's natural sleep position - and it makes sense that they would sleep better if they are more comfortable."
Does she think we are perhaps overdoing it with an entire industry devoted to sleep? "It's definitely a real need in today's world," says Hana. "Our lives are really frantic, bombarded with technology and often extremely stressful - all of which affects sleep quality. All new parents are looking for better quality sleep. Not only is sleep highly beneficial for the baby's brain and physical development - better sleep for baby also means better sleep for the parents and anyone else looking after the baby."

Sanctuary for snoozes
With all this to-do about getting enough rest, the hospitality sector is not one to sleep on the matter. Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, for instance, has partnered with sleep expert and psychologist Dr David Lewis to curate a special library of books for guests, designed to help them sleep. Earlier this year, Raffles Hotels & Resorts introduced slumber-inducing rituals - complete with calming goodnight cards and a luxurious eye pillow - to help guests wind down and alleviate jet lag.
Pune-based luxury wellness resort Atmantan recently added a Sleep Sanctuary programme to its offerings, as part of a holistic approach meant to tackle the rising numbers of the sleep-deprived. While the programme has been very well received - judging by "the lovely 'thank you' notes guests have been leaving for the resort's doctors" - founder Nikhil Kapur notes that sleep is highly underestimated and definitely something to "make more noise" about. "We have people visit us from as far as Europe, but their primary goal in coming to us is never because they want to sleep better," he says. "It's always for something else. It's only during their consultation, when we perceive they could benefit from this supplementary programme, that they accept the recommendation."
As an ironman triathlete who ensures he gets a minimum of seven hours sleep himself, Nikhil is very keenly aware of the importance of getting a good night's rest. "People imagine that it's only when you work out that your body gets stronger - but that's not true. Especially when you're involved in intense physical activity, it's while you're sleeping that the body heals, builds muscle and becomes stronger. If you're serious about an active lifestyle, you won't push your body by not sleeping well."
As someone who is constantly interacting with guests from different walks of life, Nikhil's sign-off observation is on point. "If you look at urban and affluent guests, what is common in their lifestyles is the lack of sleep hygiene [the set of behaviours meant to promote good sleep]. They're tuned into the TV late into the night, eating at odd hours, not investing in the right mattress... We teach our guests to follow good hygiene, which includes having a warm bath in the evening, no caffeine in the afternoon or evening, no large meals before bed... When you see the transformation that comes with good sleep, you won't want to go back."
karen@khaleejtimes.com