Sleeping Habits Around the World
Have you ever had a sleepover with a friend just to realize how different their sleep routine is? Some play music to fall asleep, others want complete silence. Some keep the lights on, others require total darkness. These subtle variations represent diverse ways of sleeping. On a higher level, bedtime rituals can vary significantly across different countries. As compared to other daytime activities like studying or eating, the cultural differences in sleep are not as easily observed. In this post, we hope to broaden your horizons by introducing some unique ways people are sleeping around the globe.
A study by Park et al.(2023) reveals that among the 11 countries studied, Japan had the shortest sleep duration, averaging under 7 hours, while Finland had the longest, averaging 8 hours. Furthermore, economic and social factors such as GDP and individualism are found to contribute to 55% of the differences in sleep quality and 63% of the variations in sleep quantity (Park et al., 2023). If you live in a country that promotes physical activities and exercise, it’s more likely that you have good-quality sleep than if you live in a sedentary country, as research has suggested that exercise can improve sleep quality (Banno et al., 2018). These findings not only highlight the distinctions of sleep patterns across countries but also emphasize the pivotal role of society in shaping the sleep landscape.
Now that we’ve discussed the background information, let’s get into the fun part of “watching” specifically how people from other countries are sleeping!!
Inemuri in Japan
Inemuri is the Japanese practice of sleeping at work. Japanese workers can doze off pretty much everywhere, from a meeting at their desks to on the trains. This unique sleeping practice can only be found in this country and is commonly seen as a sign of hard work. Inemuri, translated to “sleeping whilst present” in English, implies that the workers are not in a deep sleep but can rather wake up and immediately continue their tasks. As mentioned above, since people in Japan are getting so little sleep at home, inemuri helps them to compensate for the missed time sleeping. However, inemuri is not the proper way of letting the body rest after a long day of work. Long-term sleep deprivation will have very long-term implications for our bodies and minds. (For more information, read Inemuri – The Japanese Art Of Sleeping At Work)
Scandinavian Sleep Hygge
The Nordic countries, with their cold and dark winters, have mastered the art of coziness, known as hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) in Danish. This concept extends to sleep, where creating a comfortable and warm sleeping environment is key. The bedroom is turned into a cozy snug place by using ambient lighting, plush blankets, and warm colors. Lighting a candle and using essential oils also add to the serenity. Moreover, a hygge bedtime routine emphasizes the practice of self-care: reading books, drinking tea, and wearing soft pyjamas. Originated in Denmark, hygge has gained popularity in other Scandinavian countries like Finland, Norway, and Sweden. No wonder why the Finns have so much sleep! (Read more at: Creating a Hygge Bedtime Routine for Restful Sleep)
Babies napping in the cold
Can you imagine yourself sleeping outside under the temperature of -15°C? That’s what babies in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland are doing! It’s the norm in these Nordic countries to let babies sleep outside alone in their strollers in the freezing weather. The cold is believed to toughen the babies’s immune system as well as bring some other health benefits and train them for the chilly winter of Northern Europe. Since it’s relatively safe in these countries, parents don’t mind going somewhere else while leaving their babies to nap alone. (Read more at: Would you let your baby nap outside?)
Mid-day naps
Taking an afternoon nap is a traditional practice observed in Mediterranean, Latin American, and Chinese nations. In Spain, it’s called siesta while in Italy, it has the name riposo. The siesta's geographical distribution is influenced by warm temperatures and heavy midday meals, collectively leading to post-lunch drowsiness. In many siesta-practicing countries, the midday nap is a break from the unbearable summer heat. Similarly, the Chinese believe that napping at noon is a way to improve concentration and fuel productivity. Vietnam, a neighbouring country, also practices this napping habit. Vietnamese students usually have 2-3 hours in their school schedule everyday for napping. Schools have rooms used for napping and it’s almost mandatory for the students to take a nap after lunch. However, the pros and cons of mid-day naps are debatable. Extended daytime naps have been linked to an increased likelihood of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and depression in adults (Bilodeau, 2023). Daytime drowsiness may signal insufficient nighttime sleep, associated with a higher risk of chronic conditions, and could also indicate low-quality sleep or a potential sleep disorder. (For more information on siesta: Wikipedia: Siesta; the pros and cons of mid-day naps: Is your daily nap doing more harm than good?)
What do you think of the sleeping habits mentioned in the post? Do you see yourself trying them? It’s interesting how our cultures could influence our sleep. Embracing the differences in the way we sleep can deepen our understanding of human nature as well as inspire us to incorporate the best of each into our own sleep routines for a restful and rejuvenating night's sleep.
Works Cited:
Banno, M., Harada, Y., Taniguchi, M., Tobita, R., Tsujimoto, H., Tsujimoto, Y., Kataoka, Y., & Noda, A. (2018, July 11). Exercise can improve sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ, 6, e5172. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5172
Bilodeau, K. (2023, September 22). Is your daily nap doing more harm than good? Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-your-daily-nap-doing-more-harm-than-good
Donnelly, L. (n.d.). Creating a Hygge Bedtime Routine for Restful Sleep. Hygge at Home. https://hyggeathome.co.uk/blogs/news/how-to-create-a-hygge-bedtime-routine
Inemuri – The Japanese Art Of Sleeping At Work | Ecosa Blog. Ecosa Blog. https://www.ecosa.com.au/blog/post/inemuri-the-japanese-art-of-sleeping-at-work.html
Park, S., Zhunis, A., Constantinides, M., Aiello, L. M., Quercia, D., & Cha, M. (2023, June 15). Social dimensions impact individual sleep quantity and quality. Scientific Reports, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-36762-5
Siesta. (2023, October 17). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siesta#:~:text=Siestas%20are%20historically%20common%20throughout,China%2C%20and%20the%20Indian%20subcontinent.
Would you let your baby nap outside? | The Nordics. (n.d.). https://thenordics.com/trace/would-you-let-your-baby-nap-outside#:~:text=In%20Finland%2C%20Sweden%2C%20Denmark%2C,apartment%20or%20even%20the%20caf%C3%A9.