The Bedtime Story
It is just noon, and you have already had four cups of black coffee. You are feeling dehydrated, and a mild headache is setting in by 3 PM; you know you have another four hours of work left to do. After that, some household chores, and then you finally hit the bed around 10 PM, but sleep evades you. It is the same script a couple of days after an international flight.Remember how hard it is to get through the day when you have not slept well. Gone are the days you have to power through the days; these days, the market is filled with sleep aids such as melatonin gummies, Ayurvedic options like Ashwagandha, and medicated non-habit-forming sleeping pills. And for those super hectic, anxiety-fueling work days, there are apps like Calm and Headspace. There is a magnesium spray that works wonders when sprayed on the shoulders and the soles of the feet 30 minutes before bedtime. The last few years have seen people taking sleep seriously, even though reports suggest that India is the second most sleep-deprived country. Yes, imagine that! Most adults get less than six hours of uninterrupted sleep at night due to stress, screen addiction, poor schedules, medical conditions, and the external environment.
What the doc says
Doctors warn that getting less than seven hours a night can lead to a myriad of health issues. Lack of sleep causes inflammation in the body to stay high, leading to lower recovery from illness. Further, it can cause diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues. This is in addition to mood changes, anxiety, and depression.
“Lack of sleep increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the body's 'fight-or-flight' response. This leads to elevated heart rate and blood pressure, placing additional strain on the heart and arteries. Sleep deprivation also promotes inflammation and increases levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, both of which contribute to the development of atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries)”, says Dr Nikhil Kumar, Senior Director Cardiology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon.
“Research shows that chronic sleep deprivation weakens immune function, making individuals more vulnerable to infections. It also raises levels of inflammatory markers and stress hormones, contributing to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Insufficient sleep disrupts glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, increasing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes”, says Dr Rommel Tickoo, Senior Director, Internal Medicine, Max Healthcare. Adequate sleep is a biological necessity, not a luxury and is fundamental to long-term physical and mental health, he adds.
India’s sleep market
As per an IMARC report, the Indian sleep aid products market size was pegged at USD 337.7 million in 2025, and is expected to reach a value of USD 736.7 million by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 8.78 per cent from 2026 to 2034. From mattresses and specialised pillows to non-habit-forming medication, the market has a range of products for the sleep-deprived. Technological development has helped advance this sector massively. For instance, there are AI mattresses available that track your sleep metrics and adjust accordingly to help you get a good night’s rest.There are wearables and also non-wearable low-frequency devices that help stimulate the nervous system, aiding sleep. There are audio devices that help create soothing sounds to calm the brain; there are podcasts and apps that have music, sounds, and guided meditation, all of which are aimed at helping people unwind and relax, promoting deep sleep.
The fact that this sector has grown so fast in the last few years points to the fact that people today are constantly anxious, wired up and dissatisfied. This leads to the mind being unsettled and a person not being able to relax and sleep properly. Yes, one can take advantage of the booming sleep aid market to help solve this issue, but a deeper reset would be advantageous by identifying patterns and behaviours that cause anxiety and unrest.
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