I thought I could survive on 5 hours of sleep. My 30s disagreed

In 2023, ‘bed rotting’ was touted as a revolutionary form of self-care against a culture that incentivises productivity. By 2024, ‘sleepmaxxing’—the pursuit of perfect sleep—was trending on TikTok. Research has identified Gen Z as the most stressed-out demographic, with an alarming increase in mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Perhaps sleeping well is their way of reclaiming some control in a world where the odds are stacked against them. Hotels are rushing to get a slice of the pie too, marketing sleep programmes that promise elevated energy levels, a stronger immune system, improved memory, and, as per Six Senses Vana, even ‘a youthful glint in your eye’. At The Ananta Udaipur, ‘hush pillows’ made from duck feathers shape themselves to the contours of the guest’s head to facilitate better-quality sleep. Ananda in the Himalayas offers a 21-night sleep enhancement programme that combines lifestyle changes, dietary corrections, Ayurveda therapies and traditional Chinese medicine. Last year, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group appointed Malminder Gill as its inhouse ‘sleep concierge’, with each consultation followed by a bespoke sleep-inducing hypnosis session.

For my part, I’ve thankfully never had any trouble dozing off. Every late night I’ve spent awake in bed has been of my own volition. Mumbai-based Dr Nupur Jhunjhunwala warns me that this will be my undoing as I grow older. “How long does it take you to fall asleep?” she asks during our consultation at Somniawise Sleep Clinic in Kemps Corner. “Barely two minutes, once I’ve finished whatever I’m watching at 3am,” I say with a smirk. “That’s not good,” she chides. “Sleep latency is the time it takes for us to doze off once we get into bed.” Apparently, our bodies need to enter the various sleep stages—N1, N2, N3 and REM—gently and in the correct proportions for quality slumber. “Falling asleep immediately after looking at a screen or reading online is almost like numbing your mind into unconsciousness rather than lulling it to sleep,” Dr Jhunjhunwala continues. Thankfully, she shows clemency in her attempt to rewire my brain.

My first task? Sleeping at 1am instead of 3am. I was willing to try. The non-negotiable was winding down by 11.30pm—the time when my creative console starts to glow brightest—to reduce my sleep latency. On my first attempt, I was so wired that my partner had to tell me a bedtime story. On night two, I tried visualising a monster at the foot of my bed, in the hope that the fear would force me to sleep. Strangely, it worked. I relapsed on my third and fourth attempts, however, and self-soothed with my Kindle.

On day eight, I woke up without the trill of my alarm clock. On the weekend, I shocked my oldest friends by suggesting that we meet for breakfast at 7am. It felt like a fever dream to see their faces lit by the soft morning sun rather than the strobe lights of a bar. All this is not to say that I’ve transformed from a night owl into a morning lark. The moon has bewitched writers and poets for centuries but I’m beginning to see the shared charm of waking up with the rest of the world, ready to take on the day together. You know what? Let me sleep on it.

Also read:

8 simple tips to help you sleep better on a warm night

You can feel refreshed even after a sleepless night, according to experts

I tried this surprising hack and finally fixed my insomnia