The big business of sleep

I never get what is considered a “good night’s sleep,” that is, seven or eight hours uninterrupted. I never sleep more than six hours, and it’s always interrupted, sometimes for more than an hour. It’s no fun, but I don’t worry about it. I figure it’s my normal sleep pattern. But millions of people are becoming preoccupied with obtaining a perfect night’s rest.

That preoccupation is a bonanza for business. The “sleep economy” is worth billions of dollars. Venture capital funding for sleep tech has been steadily rising, from around $400 million in 2017 to close to $800 million in 2021. As one sleep neuroscientist noted, there’s more money going into sleep-related products than ever before.

Here are some examples:

• “Wearables”: Electronic sleep-tracking devices. The latest sleep-tracking gadget, the Oura ring, is a $350 miniature computer that collects data on vitals like heart rate, body temperature and movement.
• Fancy bedding: mattresses with sensors, weighted blankets, adjustable pillows. (The U.S. mattress industry doubled in value from 2015 to 2020, swelling from $8 billion to $16 billion.)
• Other gadgets: Timed lights, eye masks, smart thermostats, cool air fans, bedtime headbands.
• Supplements and such: Melatonin, magnesium, herbal teas, CBD gummies, sleeping pills. (About eight percent of Americans take sleeping pills, such as Ambien).

It seems like the media is fueling this preoccupation, scaring us with alarming adverse outcomes such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and immune system problems. Because of worrying about falling asleep, people become anxious with obsessive thoughts that keep them awake even longer.

Plenty of people do well on less than seven hours sleep: Thomas Edison (three or four hours); President Clinton (five to six hours); Martha Stewart (four to five hours); Jay Leno (five hours). Stop worrying about how much sleep you’re getting. It’s unhealthy.

For an introduction to this blog, see I Just Say No; for a list of blog topics, click the Topics tab.