In Singapore, sales of sleep aids have reached S$1.3 million while Western and alternative treatment clinics alike have seen 20% to 30% spikes in patient numbers as the industry expands for one of the most sleep-deprived countries in the world, reports Channel NewsAsia.
Musician Axel Serik used to be unable to sleep for long stretches, sometimes even more than a week. “It was really, really bad. I remember playing shows many times without sleep and it was horrible,” he said. “I was searching high and low for cures, and I was scared to take anything from the doctor because it’s all chemical and there are surely some side effects to it.”
“I went for yoga; bought many types of melatonin pills; drank chamomile tea … Then I found floatation,” Mr Serik recalled. “The first time I went, on that same day I had the deepest sleep without dreams. Now it’s rare that I have insomnia bursts.”
