IT'S mid-afternoon in New York and on the 24th floor of the Empire State building, several executives are taking a power nap during their work hour. Over in Sydney, office workers are dragging themselves away from the desk for a required 20-minute snooze. In Asia, the first sleep spa opened a few months ago in Singapore.
When it comes to health, sleeping pods and sleep programmes are the new emerging trend.
Just in time too. According to the National Sleep Foundation, at least half of us aren't getting enough good quality sleep. There are reportedly millions of us who suffer sleep disorders and in many countries there's a sleep epidemic. Not enough sleep can affect our concentration at work and productivity, safety and add to health issues like heart disease, blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
'Sleep is the new story,' confirms Susie Ellis, president of Spa Finder (www.spafinder.com), an International Spa Marketing company, who has included sleep as one of her top 10 spa predictions for 2007. She says that over the past year she has noticed a huge trend in sleep programmes at some of the world's leading spas. 'There are now on-site specialists at spas who will help educate, diagnose and treat sleep apnea through insomniac treatment programmes, workshops and even sleep retreats.'
At the newly opened Medical Sleep Spa in Singapore, medical director Dr Kenny Pang spends his days evaluating and diagnosing patients with sleeping problems, creating treatments specific to their needs. He reports that the incidence of insomnia is also increasing in Singapore, possibly due to increased stress and our 'pressure cooker' lifestyle.
'Sleep disorders come in different forms; however, the main two types are: 'the patients who cannot fall asleep (insomniacs) and the patients who cannot keep awake (patients with obstructive sleep apnea/poor quality sleep/low oxygen at night)'.' He believes the increase in obstructive sleep apnea is due to the increase in obesity and affects as much as 15 per cent of the population in Singapore.
Little wonder about the return of the power nap. At a hip new spa in New York called Yelo, for example, executives slip into secluded 'YelowCabs' - sleeping cabins - during work hours, where they are covered in a soft cashmere blanket and customised colour, aromatherapy and lighting are designed to suit and relax their mood.
Good for bottom line
According to Dr Sara Mednick, a research scientist at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies in California, a power nap will benefit the body to include better heart functioning, hormonal maintenance and cell repair. She says a nap affects one's mental health, including improving mood, lowering stress, and giving greater psychological balance as well as helping one stay more active and younger looking. According to a recent Harvard study released in February, a 20-minute power nap has been medically proven to increase alertness and productivity as well as information retention - making it also beneficial for the bottom line.
Corporations are taking note of this trend. EnergyPods, designed by MetroNaps (www.metronaps.com), a company dedicated to sleeping solutions, are being installed in businesses, universities, spas and airports around the world. Looking like something out of a science fiction movie, these two-metre-long cocoons block out 65 per cent of light and sound. Occupants recline with their legs elevated to promote blood circulation and reduce blood pressure that in turn promotes overall relaxation. After 20 minutes of shrouded silence, a gentle vibration and increased light slowly awakens them from a light sleep.
'We designed the EnergyPod specifically for employees who work long, erratic hours,' explains Janet Rhew from MetroNaps. 'Rather than decrease the amount of time one spends at the office desk, regular sessions actually improve mental clarity, productivity and quality of life.' Predictions are that EnergyPods will become as 'common as photocopiers' and so far, have been purchased by Procter & Gamble, Cisco Systems and the Stanford Medical Center, to name a few.
The sleep industry is now a staggering multi-billion dollar industry. Spa Finder's Ms Ellis reports there are now between 50 and 70 million Americans experiencing chronic sleep disorders and global sales of sleeping pills will top US$5 billion over the next several years.
According to the New York Times, more than 25 million prescriptions for Ambien were written last year. Added to the dozen or so other commonly used sleep aids, doctors dashed off almost 50 million prescriptions for sleeping pills in 2006.
Dozing off in spas
But there are holistic alternatives. At The Medical Sleep Spa in Singapore, programmes are managed by sleep specialists who blend diagnosis, consultations and remedies with exercise like Pilates and yoga together with upper body/back massage and radio frequency de-stress therapy to help relax the patient.
'The basics of good sleep habits need to be taught and cultivated,' says Dr Pang. 'No two patients are the same so programmes need to be tailored.'
Meanwhile, spas from the United States to Bangkok - such as the Canyon Ranch and Miraval Life in Balance in the US, and Chiva Som and S Medical Spa in Thailand - have introduced sleep enhancement and insomniac programmes. Other health spas are following suit.
'This sleep trend is just beginning,' says Ms Ellis. She reports the trend was fast-tracked late last year when several sleep-medicine scientists shared research showing healthy sleep can help one lose weight, look more beautiful and have better sex. 'In the future we will see a great deal more attention paid to sleep hygiene in spas. It will become a pillar of the spa experience just like nutrition, fitness and spa therapies.'
Chiva Som International Resort is already seeing extra demand for sleep enhancement programmes and has introduced treatments for the increasing number of people with insomnia. A spokesman explained that disturbed or inadequate sleep can be a chronic problem or occur occasionally. However, it will invariably be linked to factors including stress, anxiety, lifestyle, diet and possibly medical conditions.
