A recent survey finds out that most Indian CEOs try to sleep for seven to eight hours every night

Recently, a brand of sleep-aid products reached out to some of India’s leading CEOs to learn about their sleeping habits. Surprisingly enough, the study found that, while shouldering the gigantic responsibility to grow their empires and hectic schedules, a majority of the respondents are managing enough sleep in day-to-day life.

Losing sleep over work might seem like a commendable characteristic, but it does have a significant impact on one’s physical and mental health. On the other hand, sound sleep leads to better productivity and concentration, lower risk of weight gain, greater athletic performance, and lower risk of heart disease, depression, and burnout. Contrary to how the lockdown phase has been with work from home overpowering the work-life balance, Indian CEOs have managed to find refuge in meditation, yoga and other forms of physical activity to compete with the ongoing stress and are also ensuring sufficient sleep cycles as a part of their daily routine.

From one of the few surveyed companies, Trade India’s COO Sandip Chettri follows a very disciplined routine and fixed work schedule. When asked, if he experiences trouble falling asleep, he responded, “No, as I practice yoga and meditation which helps me fall asleep easily.”

The insights pointed towards the fact that most industry leaders prefer fixed sleeping hours and try to achieve a long and deep sleep. Most of the respondents, who are founders, co-founders, CEOs, etc, try to get an average of seven to eight hours of sleep. However, many of the leaders responded that they experience difficulty falling asleep since their mind is active. While some nights, work thoughts disturb their sleep, this doesn’t happen every day.

Pritesh Talwar, CEO, Livpure Sleep, said, “I think that if you are waking up fresh and energised, you had a sound sleep. I have a fixed sleep schedule and generally sleep around seven to eight hours every night. I like to start my day early so I fall asleep between 10-11 pm and start my day at six in the morning. I have made it a point to follow the schedule to make sure that other things fall in line and now my body has also become used to it. If I am awake past 12, my body starts resisting and hints at getting to bed as it’s past bedtime.”

Speaking on the quality of sleep, he added, “Usually, I do not find any trouble falling asleep during the night. A few exceptions could be when I am travelling or sleeping on an unfamiliar mattress. During the day, I do think a quick 15-minute nap makes you fresh and re-energises you for the rest of the day. However, longer sleep during the day disturbs your system and does not let you function properly. It’s advised to have a long sleep only during the night.”

Along the same lines, Arpi Mehta, co-founder of toothsi, said, “Once you wake up from a sound sleep, you feel invigorated. If you wake up tired or groggy, that’s an indicator of otherwise. I’d advise everyone to follow a fixed schedule to avoid feeling tired throughout the day but, unfortunately, due to my lifestyle and commitments, I am not able to adhere to one. Being an entrepreneur, stress makes it hard to sleep. While I do wish to complete eight hours of sleep daily, sometimes it becomes impossible which is when power naps come to the rescue.”

Jatin Varma, the founder of Comic Con India, said, “For me, a minimum of six hours of sound sleep is necessary but eight hours is ideal. My sleep hours are generally fixed except for the weekends. But travel affects my routine and I have trouble sleeping a day or so after I come back home. Long, stressful workdays can also affect my sleep. Lastly, if I get stuck in an OTT binge, then my schedule goes for a toss.”

Through the survey, the brand, Livpure Sleep, aimed to encourage better sleeping habits among Indians, focussing on the country’s most prominent business leaders. The data collated will go a long way in helping people understand how important it is to get a good night’s rest.