Latest news with #sleeptechnology
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This puffer jacket uses light and sound to lull you to sleep anywhere
Often described as one of the world's most sleep-deprived nations, Japan repeatedly ranks last, or near last, in international surveys and studies on sleep duration and quality. One design firm has developed a creative solution that it believes can give real power to naps. Its 'smart' puffer jacket concept is intended to optimize short naps by providing bespoke sound and lighting based on the user's biometric data, such as heart rate and body temperature, which is gathered by a wearable ring. 'We realized that sleep is a very personal thing,' said Dai Miyata, creative art director of Konel, which developed the jacket in collaboration with the sleep technology division at NTT DX Partners, a digital consulting firm. 'You can't force someone to sleep, they have to fall asleep on their own. So, we started thinking, is there something we can create that helps people ease into sleep on their own terms?' The ZZZN sleep apparel is designed to be worn day-to-day as a normal jacket, albeit an oversized one, but users can also activate 'sleep mode' by putting up the hood when they want a snooze on their commute home. Not yet intended as a consumer product, a conceptual prototype of the invention will be on display from June 24 until July 7 at Expo 2025 Osaka, where visitors will be able to test it out for themselves. Miyata hopes that the innovation will make people 'more curious about sleep,' and spark conversations about how to approach rest better. 'It's such a familiar part of life, yet there's still so much we don't know about it,' he added. Konel began developing the jacket last year with a grant from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as part of a program to transform personal healthcare data into usable services and products. 'With Japan being one of the most sleep-deprived countries, we've been thinking about how to tackle this issue through business initiatives,' said Teppei Ogata, production manager for NTT DX Partners' sleep technology division. The company's previous efforts didn't lead to significant behavior changes, Ogata said: so instead, they decided to take a 'fun and creative' approach coming up with the playful concept of 'portable sleep.' The jacket is based on 'yogi,' a quilted kimono worn which was popular in the Edo period (1615–1868) for sleeping, particularly in winter. While yogi is often compared to pajamas, it's 'closer to something you could fall asleep in, and then just wake up and go,' said Miyata. 'It's more like a fusion of clothing and bedding.' With a deep hood for privacy, the ZZZN jacket has an inbuilt system that converts the wearer's biometric data into light and sound. It uses red light to induce sleep, while blue light is intended to suppress melatonin to wake the body up. Minyata said the light pulses at rates that mimic slow breathing patterns, to promote deeper sleep, and are accompanied by 'neuromusic' with frequencies that 'act directly on brain waves to aid sleep.' Some preliminary studies have found that music or sounds of certain frequencies could improve sleep, although more research is needed. The biometric ring continues to monitor the wearer's stress as they doze off. 'If the person's stress level significantly decreases, the same light and sound are maintained, but if their stress doesn't decrease much, the system switches to sounds that are even more effective at promoting sleep,' said Miyata. While the jacket might seem like a gimmick, it's rooted in a real problem. A study published this year found that the nation was ranked last on sleep duration out of 20 nations, with an average nightly sleep duration 94 minutes shorter than France, which topped the rankings. One analysis of the economic cost of poor sleep (measured in reduced productivity, traffic accidents from tiredness, and other accidents or injuries) found that Japan loses up to $138 billion a year, which equates to around 3% of its GDP. Lack of sleep is so widespread that some schools and offices have reportedly introduced nap breaks into the day, and it's not unusual to see people sleeping in public, known as 'inemuri.' According to the Mayo Clinic, short naps of around 20 minutes can improve alertness, mood, and memory. However, napping for longer periods can disrupt your sleep cycle, and deeper stages of sleep are harder to wake up from, causing grogginess. It's not just Japan that struggles to sleep: Singapore and South Korea also have short sleep duration, while in the US, more than 50 million people (or about 15% of the total population) struggle with sleep disorders, and one-third of adults are not getting the recommended amount of sleep. A recent study found that the optimal amount of sleep appears to vary between countries, depending on cultural norms. But while it noted that those who slept close to their 'cultural ideal sleep duration,' scored best in health metrics, it also found that within individual countries, people who slept longer were healthier Miyata emphasizes that innovations like the puffer jacket are not a substitute for a good night's rest. 'We're not saying take naps so you can get by on fewer hours of sleep, but rather that by breaking up sleep intelligently, people who only get six hours of sleep might be able to get closer to eight hours, which is a positive outcome,' he said, adding: 'This isn't about solving sleep issues just so people can work more. Rather, this is a concept model aimed at creating a culture that values sleep.' The jacket, which was initially unveiled at Milan Design Week in April, is currently a 'conceptual prototype' — so while visitors to the 'Future Life Village' at Expo 2025 Osaka will be able to try it out, it's operated manually by Miyata and his team rather than adapting to each user's biometric data. Whether the conceptual sleep tech will become commercially available is still to be seen, but Ogata believes that the 'sleep system' could be adopted by regular apparel manufacturers and integrated into existing clothing products. 'We've started efforts to create collaborative products like co-branded items aimed at establishing a new kind of sleepwear value, using this system,' he said. Ogata would also like to further personalize the jacket's responses — for example, offering different music tracks for waking up. He hopes that the jacket will help to shift the cultural perception around sleep; and perhaps give some of its early users at the expo a high-tech rest. 'It really does feel like entering a personal space. You feel completely shut off from the noise of everyday life,' he added. Additional reporting by Mai Takiguchi, CNN.
CNN
5 days ago
- Health
- CNN
This puffer jacket uses light and sound to lull you to sleep anywhere
Often described as one of the world's most sleep-deprived nations, Japan repeatedly ranks last, or near last, in international surveys and studies on sleep duration and quality. One design firm has developed a creative solution that it believes can give real power to naps. Its 'smart' puffer jacket concept is intended to optimize short naps by providing bespoke sound and lighting based on the user's biometric data, such as heart rate and body temperature, which is gathered by a wearable ring. 'We realized that sleep is a very personal thing,' said Dai Miyata, creative art director of Konel, which developed the jacket in collaboration with the sleep technology division at NTT DX Partners, a digital consulting firm. 'You can't force someone to sleep, they have to fall asleep on their own. So, we started thinking, is there something we can create that helps people ease into sleep on their own terms?' The ZZZN sleep apparel is designed to be worn day-to-day as a normal jacket, albeit an oversized one, but users can also activate 'sleep mode' by putting up the hood when they want a snooze on their commute home. Not yet intended as a consumer product, a conceptual prototype of the invention will be on display from June 24 until July 7 at Expo 2025 Osaka, where visitors will be able to test it out for themselves. Miyata hopes that the innovation will make people 'more curious about sleep,' and spark conversations about how to approach rest better. 'It's such a familiar part of life, yet there's still so much we don't know about it,' he added. Konel began developing the jacket last year with a grant from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as part of a program to transform personal healthcare data into usable services and products. 'With Japan being one of the most sleep-deprived countries, we've been thinking about how to tackle this issue through business initiatives,' said Teppei Ogata, production manager for NTT DX Partners' sleep technology division. The company's previous efforts didn't lead to significant behavior changes, Ogata said: so instead, they decided to take a 'fun and creative' approach coming up with the playful concept of 'portable sleep.' The jacket is based on 'yogi,' a quilted kimono worn which was popular in the Edo period (1615–1868) for sleeping, particularly in winter. While yogi is often compared to pajamas, it's 'closer to something you could fall asleep in, and then just wake up and go,' said Miyata. 'It's more like a fusion of clothing and bedding.' With a deep hood for privacy, the ZZZN jacket has an inbuilt system that converts the wearer's biometric data into light and sound. It uses red light to induce sleep, while blue light is intended to suppress melatonin to wake the body up. Minyata said the light pulses at rates that mimic slow breathing patterns, to promote deeper sleep, and are accompanied by 'neuromusic' with frequencies that 'act directly on brain waves to aid sleep.' Some preliminary studies have found that music or sounds of certain frequencies could improve sleep, although more research is needed. The biometric ring continues to monitor the wearer's stress as they doze off. 'If the person's stress level significantly decreases, the same light and sound are maintained, but if their stress doesn't decrease much, the system switches to sounds that are even more effective at promoting sleep,' said Miyata. While the jacket might seem like a gimmick, it's rooted in a real problem. A study published this year found that the nation was ranked last on sleep duration out of 20 nations, with an average nightly sleep duration 94 minutes shorter than France, which topped the rankings. One analysis of the economic cost of poor sleep (measured in reduced productivity, traffic accidents from tiredness, and other accidents or injuries) found that Japan loses up to $138 billion a year, which equates to around 3% of its GDP. Lack of sleep is so widespread that some schools and offices have reportedly introduced nap breaks into the day, and it's not unusual to see people sleeping in public, known as 'inemuri.' According to the Mayo Clinic, short naps of around 20 minutes can improve alertness, mood, and memory. However, napping for longer periods can disrupt your sleep cycle, and deeper stages of sleep are harder to wake up from, causing grogginess. It's not just Japan that struggles to sleep: Singapore and South Korea also have short sleep duration, while in the US, more than 50 million people (or about 15% of the total population) struggle with sleep disorders, and one-third of adults are not getting the recommended amount of sleep. A recent study found that the optimal amount of sleep appears to vary between countries, depending on cultural norms. But while it noted that those who slept close to their 'cultural ideal sleep duration,' scored best in health metrics, it also found that within individual countries, people who slept longer were healthier Miyata emphasizes that innovations like the puffer jacket are not a substitute for a good night's rest. 'We're not saying take naps so you can get by on fewer hours of sleep, but rather that by breaking up sleep intelligently, people who only get six hours of sleep might be able to get closer to eight hours, which is a positive outcome,' he said, adding: 'This isn't about solving sleep issues just so people can work more. Rather, this is a concept model aimed at creating a culture that values sleep.' The jacket, which was initially unveiled at Milan Design Week in April, is currently a 'conceptual prototype' — so while visitors to the 'Future Life Village' at Expo 2025 Osaka will be able to try it out, it's operated manually by Miyata and his team rather than adapting to each user's biometric data. Whether the conceptual sleep tech will become commercially available is still to be seen, but Ogata believes that the 'sleep system' could be adopted by regular apparel manufacturers and integrated into existing clothing products. 'We've started efforts to create collaborative products like co-branded items aimed at establishing a new kind of sleepwear value, using this system,' he said. Ogata would also like to further personalize the jacket's responses — for example, offering different music tracks for waking up. He hopes that the jacket will help to shift the cultural perception around sleep; and perhaps give some of its early users at the expo a high-tech rest. 'It really does feel like entering a personal space. You feel completely shut off from the noise of everyday life,' he added. Additional reporting by Mai Takiguchi, CNN.
CNN
5 days ago
- Health
- CNN
This puffer jacket uses light and sound to lull you to sleep anywhere
Often described as one of the world's most sleep-deprived nations, Japan repeatedly ranks last, or near last, in international surveys and studies on sleep duration and quality. One design firm has developed a creative solution that it believes can give real power to naps. Its 'smart' puffer jacket concept is intended to optimize short naps by providing bespoke sound and lighting based on the user's biometric data, such as heart rate and body temperature, which is gathered by a wearable ring. 'We realized that sleep is a very personal thing,' said Dai Miyata, creative art director of Konel, which developed the jacket in collaboration with the sleep technology division at NTT DX Partners, a digital consulting firm. 'You can't force someone to sleep, they have to fall asleep on their own. So, we started thinking, is there something we can create that helps people ease into sleep on their own terms?' The ZZZN sleep apparel is designed to be worn day-to-day as a normal jacket, albeit an oversized one, but users can also activate 'sleep mode' by putting up the hood when they want a snooze on their commute home. Not yet intended as a consumer product, a conceptual prototype of the invention will be on display from June 24 until July 7 at Expo 2025 Osaka, where visitors will be able to test it out for themselves. Miyata hopes that the innovation will make people 'more curious about sleep,' and spark conversations about how to approach rest better. 'It's such a familiar part of life, yet there's still so much we don't know about it,' he added. Konel began developing the jacket last year with a grant from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as part of a program to transform personal healthcare data into usable services and products. 'With Japan being one of the most sleep-deprived countries, we've been thinking about how to tackle this issue through business initiatives,' said Teppei Ogata, production manager for NTT DX Partners' sleep technology division. The company's previous efforts didn't lead to significant behavior changes, Ogata said: so instead, they decided to take a 'fun and creative' approach coming up with the playful concept of 'portable sleep.' The jacket is based on 'yogi,' a quilted kimono worn which was popular in the Edo period (1615–1868) for sleeping, particularly in winter. While yogi is often compared to pajamas, it's 'closer to something you could fall asleep in, and then just wake up and go,' said Miyata. 'It's more like a fusion of clothing and bedding.' With a deep hood for privacy, the ZZZN jacket has an inbuilt system that converts the wearer's biometric data into light and sound. It uses red light to induce sleep, while blue light is intended to suppress melatonin to wake the body up. Minyata said the light pulses at rates that mimic slow breathing patterns, to promote deeper sleep, and are accompanied by 'neuromusic' with frequencies that 'act directly on brain waves to aid sleep.' Some preliminary studies have found that music or sounds of certain frequencies could improve sleep, although more research is needed. The biometric ring continues to monitor the wearer's stress as they doze off. 'If the person's stress level significantly decreases, the same light and sound are maintained, but if their stress doesn't decrease much, the system switches to sounds that are even more effective at promoting sleep,' said Miyata. While the jacket might seem like a gimmick, it's rooted in a real problem. A study published this year found that the nation was ranked last on sleep duration out of 20 nations, with an average nightly sleep duration 94 minutes shorter than France, which topped the rankings. One analysis of the economic cost of poor sleep (measured in reduced productivity, traffic accidents from tiredness, and other accidents or injuries) found that Japan loses up to $138 billion a year, which equates to around 3% of its GDP. Lack of sleep is so widespread that some schools and offices have reportedly introduced nap breaks into the day, and it's not unusual to see people sleeping in public, known as 'inemuri.' According to the Mayo Clinic, short naps of around 20 minutes can improve alertness, mood, and memory. However, napping for longer periods can disrupt your sleep cycle, and deeper stages of sleep are harder to wake up from, causing grogginess. It's not just Japan that struggles to sleep: Singapore and South Korea also have short sleep duration, while in the US, more than 50 million people (or about 15% of the total population) struggle with sleep disorders, and one-third of adults are not getting the recommended amount of sleep. A recent study found that the optimal amount of sleep appears to vary between countries, depending on cultural norms. But while it noted that those who slept close to their 'cultural ideal sleep duration,' scored best in health metrics, it also found that within individual countries, people who slept longer were healthier Miyata emphasizes that innovations like the puffer jacket are not a substitute for a good night's rest. 'We're not saying take naps so you can get by on fewer hours of sleep, but rather that by breaking up sleep intelligently, people who only get six hours of sleep might be able to get closer to eight hours, which is a positive outcome,' he said, adding: 'This isn't about solving sleep issues just so people can work more. Rather, this is a concept model aimed at creating a culture that values sleep.' The jacket, which was initially unveiled at Milan Design Week in April, is currently a 'conceptual prototype' — so while visitors to the 'Future Life Village' at Expo 2025 Osaka will be able to try it out, it's operated manually by Miyata and his team rather than adapting to each user's biometric data. Whether the conceptual sleep tech will become commercially available is still to be seen, but Ogata believes that the 'sleep system' could be adopted by regular apparel manufacturers and integrated into existing clothing products. 'We've started efforts to create collaborative products like co-branded items aimed at establishing a new kind of sleepwear value, using this system,' he said. Ogata would also like to further personalize the jacket's responses — for example, offering different music tracks for waking up. He hopes that the jacket will help to shift the cultural perception around sleep; and perhaps give some of its early users at the expo a high-tech rest. 'It really does feel like entering a personal space. You feel completely shut off from the noise of everyday life,' he added. Additional reporting by Mai Takiguchi, CNN.
The National
09-06-2025
- The National
The future of sleep? My experience with the $5,000 AI bed used by tech leaders
Formula One driver Charles Leclerc, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, American entrepreneur Bryan Johnson and Tesla founder Elon Musk are among the famous figures who spend their nights on the Eight Sleep mattress cover and base. It's a technology-enabled smart mattress cover, duvet, and base that cools itself, detects snoring, tracks your heart rate and claims to be the future of sleep. So I decided to try it – not because I had trouble sleeping, but because I was curious. Could it make a noticeable difference to someone who already sleeps well? I've always been a good sleeper. Eight hours, no apps, no melatonin gummies, just a routine I've stuck to since childhood. So when I heard about the company's Pod 5 Ultra, I wasn't looking for a fix. I just wanted to see what happens when Silicon Valley, sports science and sleep hygiene collide in your bedroom. A few weeks in, the conclusion is: yes, it did improve my sleep. But not without a few hiccups. Also, it's not for everyone. The set-up: more complicated than expected The Pod 5 Ultra is not your standard 'unbox and crash' mattress. It has a temperature-regulating base unit, mattress cover, app, cables and an "active grid" duvet cover that adjusts the climate in real-time. It took me nearly two hours to set up – it is definitely not a one-person job. It's also large. Once assembled, it adds noticeable bulk to the bed, which might not suit smaller spaces or those designed to be minimalist. The duvet is on the heavier side and fixed to the system, so it can't be moved or layered freely. While the technology is impressive, the overall look could use more warmth. Softer textures or colour options would help. A glitchy first night The first night didn't go smoothly. Since the system was set up initially using a different phone, the app lagged on mine. I couldn't access the controls and the bed stayed stuck in an elevated position. I ended up sleeping tilted, slightly confused and frustrated. For something this expensive, you expect a better first impression. In-app chat support was slow, with 30-minute gaps between replies. Thankfully, email support was more responsive and helped to fix the issue the next day. Little changes that add up Once it was working correctly, the difference became clear. Within a few nights, I stopped waking up with the usual neck and back stiffness I'd become used to. My body felt noticeably better in the mornings, and my sleep felt deeper and less fragmented. Overall the mattress set-up was incredibly comfortable – supportive, responsive and adaptive to your body. The downside? It's so comfortable that getting out of bed becomes a new challenge. Stand-out temperature control This is where the Pod 5 Ultra shines. The mattress cover adjusts its temperature throughout the night based on your preferences. It can be cool as you fall asleep, steady through deep sleep and slightly warmer as you wake up. No more waking up overheated or kicking off the blanket at 2am. The smart alarm is also a surprising highlight. Rather than sound, it gently wakes you through vibrations or temperature shifts. It's a small detail, but it makes waking up feel like less of a shock and more of a natural transition. If you love sleep data, you'll love this I'm not someone who tracks my sleep obsessively, but the Eight Sleep app offers plenty for those who do. It monitors your sleep stages, heart rate, respiratory rate and recovery trends – all without a wearable. Even if you're not glued to metrics, the insights are helpful. I found that what I felt physically – fewer aches, deeper rest – was mirrored by the data. What could be better The system isn't perfect. The elevation feature lifts the entire bed, not just one side, which is not ideal if you're sharing it. The app's white noise and relaxation features are also hard to find and not as polished as the rest of the experience. And while the active grid duvet excels at thermal regulation, it's bulky and has a clinical appearance. A lighter, more breathable option would be a welcome addition, especially in the UAE's warmer months. Hefty price tag One of the most significant downsides is the cost. The Pod 5 Ultra system starts at about Dh19,000 ($5,173) – and that's without accessories or upgrades. For many people, that's a significant investment, especially for a product that doesn't come with an in-home set-up or fast customer support. The technology is impressive and, if you regard sleep as part of your wellness regimen, it might justify the price. But this is not a casual upgrade or an impulse buy, it is a considered purchase. Overall, the Eight Sleep Pod 5 Ultra didn't fix my sleep, but it certainly enhanced it. I didn't need to track anything, press buttons every night, or overhaul my routine. It just worked – and I felt the difference.
Arab News
17-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia awakens to a sleep tech boom as Vision 2030 fuels wellness shift
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is poised to emerge as one of the world's most dynamic sleep technology markets, reflecting the rapid expansion of its fitness sector, an expert told Arab News. In 2024, Saudi Arabia ranked third globally for the shortest sleep duration, with most Saudis sleeping only 6 to 7 hours per night, according to Mana Al-Shahrani, a consultant in Sleep Medicine at King Fahad Medical City. This presents a lucrative opening for innovators, as global demand for sleep solutions surges. The global sleep aids market grew from $59.32 billion in 2023 to $64.15 billion in 2024, and it is expected to continue growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.98 percent, reaching $89.11 billion by 2030, according to a report by Research and Markets. Now, companies such as Eight Sleep, a US-based firm which provides an intelligent, fully integrated system that personalizes sleep using real-time biometric data, are eyeing Saudi Arabia as a top future market. With Vision 2030 pushing a healthier lifestyle agenda, sleep is set to become the next big wellness frontier. 'We believe Saudi Arabia is uniquely positioned to become one of the world's most dynamic sleep tech markets and Eight Sleep is investing with that long-term vision in mind,' co-Founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, Matteo Franceschetti, told Arab News. 'Even before our official launch, we already have over 100 Pods in active use and a waitlist of more than 500—a strong signal of organic demand and unmet need,' the CEO added. Saudi Arabia has already demonstrated progress in key quality-of-life indicators, as highlighted in its 2024 Vision 2030 performance report. The Kingdom's World Happiness Index score held steady at 6.6 in 2024 — surpassing both global and Gulf averages — while life expectancy rose to 78.8 years, ranking 11th among G20 nations, underscoring the government's focus on well-being, creating fertile ground for sleep tech innovation. Saudi Arabia as a global sleep tech hub The sleep technology market in Saudi Arabia is expanding rapidly, valued at $117.4 million in 2023 and projected to reach $243.1 million by 2030 — an 11 percent CAGR. The broader Middle East and North Africa smart bed market is expected to hit $87.7 million by 2027, according to Franceschetti. 'We view Saudi Arabia — and the wider GCC — as a strategic priority for Eight Sleep, with the region bearing the potential to become our second-largest market globally after the US,' Franceschetti said. While GCC spending on sleep aids remains modest — $26.42 million in 2025 versus $2.18 billion in the US — growth rates are strong. 'While sleep still lags behind fitness and wearables in terms of total spend, it's following the same adoption curve. Sleep is underpenetrated, but it's not underperforming,' Franceschetti noted, adding: 'As awareness for sleep as the foundation of long-term health, we expect its share of the wellness wallet to expand dramatically.' Will sleep become a national priority? With Vision 2030 promoting wellness, sleep health is gaining attention — but experts say more policy focus is needed. Diet and exercise are prioritized, but sleep's impact on diabetes, heart disease, and neurological disorders is still underrecognized, Vikas Kharbanda, partner at Arthur D. Little told Arab News. 'Increasing diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, obesity and even neurological dysfunctions have been linked with sleep-related disorders,' he said, adding: 'While there are some efforts underway through publishing registries and statistics on sleep disorder prevalence, significantly more awareness is needed about these linkages and their negative impacts.' Franceschetti tied sleep to national goals, saying that Vision 2030's focus on quality of life creates fertile ground for sleep tech. 'Saudi Arabia's greatest opportunity to overcome its national sleep deficit lies in embracing personalized sleep environments tailored to individual needs,' he added. Late nights, high stress, and rising demand The CEO further explained that Saudi Arabia has the lowest average sleep score among more than 30 global markets where Eight Sleep is active. 'Saudi users also report the latest bedtime and wake time — typically sleeping from 1am to 9am,' he revealed. The UAE follows closely behind, ranking fourth in sleep deprivation, with users averaging sleep from 12am to 8am. GCC cities dominate global rankings for the least sleep, with Sharjah, Doha, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Dubai claiming the top six spots for lowest total sleep. Sharjah, Jeddah, and Dubai also recorded the world's worst sleep performance scores, the CEO said, citing data from US technology company, WHOOP. Key drivers of the sleepless trend Multiple factors contribute to this trend, said Franceschetti, adding: 'A deeply ingrained late-night culture in the region contributes to disrupted circadian rhythms and reduced recovery.' Cities like Jeddah, Riyadh, and Sharjah — some of the most sleep-deprived globally — also report high stress levels, indicating a strong link between late night schedules and poor health. Temperature is another major challenge, as Saudi Arabia ranks fifth globally for users seeking to cool their sleep environment. Franceschetti noted that 'managing heat during the night is essential for comfort and uninterrupted sleep.' He also highlighted lifestyle and environmental stressors, stating: 'Ambitious lifestyles, demanding work schedules, and extreme weather conditions further affect residents' ability to get sufficient quality sleep.' In the UAE, 40 percent of residents are sleep-deprived, with stress and temperature cited as the top disruptors. Arthur D. Little's Kharbanda expanded on cultural influences: 'Late-night social activities, religious practices, high caffeine consumption, and excessive blue light exposure from devices all contribute — alongside low physical activity levels.' Saudi Arabia is actively working through the Sports for All Federation to increase the percentage of physical activity participation to 40 percent of the Kingdom's population by 2030. The sleep tech revolution, tracking to intervention Kharbanda categorized sleep solutions into three types. The first includes monitoring devices such as wearables and apps. 'These help users understand sleep patterns and are likely to see the highest demand due to affordability and accessibility,' he explained. The second category consists of interventional tools like smart mattresses and sleep monitors. 'These ensure better sleep quality but face higher cost barriers,' he noted. The third type covers medical solutions for severe cases, though adoption depends on health care integration. 'Of these, monitoring and lifestyle management devices will dominate,' Kharbanda predicted. As the Kingdom wakes up to sleep's role in long-term health, the wellness industry is racing to turn this crisis into its next billion-dollar opportunity.
