Survey reveals 58 workforce productivity drop from poor sleep
Easmed and The Air Station published survey findings showing 97 of Singapore office workers suffer performance declines after poor sleep cutting daily productivity over 20
SINGAPORE – In a recent survey titled "Sleeping Enough, Waking Up Tired: The Hidden Cost of Sleep Apnea Risk in Singapore's Workforce," conducted by Easmed and The Air Station, it has been revealed that unaddressed sleep disorders are significantly impacting the productivity of Singapore's workforce. The survey, which polled 1,000 office-based workers aged 30 to 60, highlights the concerning gap between sleep debt, clinical risk, and public awareness surrounding Sleep Apnea, a common medical condition characterized by repeated upper airway relaxation and collapse during sleep, leading to oxygen deprivation, loud snoring, and daytime exhaustion. Key findings from the survey include:
97% of respondents experiencing a productivity drop after a poor night's sleep, with 58% estimating their performance drops by more than 20%.
A quarter (24%) of office workers are at intermediate-to-high risk for Sleep Apnea.
Only 60% of employees have ever heard of Sleep Apnea, and 56% have never evaluated their sleep quality through a doctor, app, or diagnostic test.
Singapore workers average 6.3 hours of sleep per night, falling short of the recommended 7.4 hours, resulting in a daily 1.1-hour deficit.
Common misconceptions include viewing daytime fatigue as normal, assuming breathing pauses during sleep are harmless, and mistaking loud snoring for deep sleep.
The primary barriers to seeking care for Sleep Apnea are the cost (51%) and lack of knowledge on where to seek help (36%).
While 72% of employees advocate for flexible hours as their top request for sleep support, health experts stress that additional time in bed cannot resolve underlying physiological conditions like Sleep Apnea. Corporate assistance, such as subsidized screenings (37%) and targeted sleep education (21%), is identified as the most direct solutions.
Dr. Phua Chu Qin, a Senior Consultant Otolaryngology (ENT) and Director of Sleep Surgery at Sengkang General Hospital, emphasized that the survey's productivity findings underscore that sleep is not merely a lifestyle issue. She stressed the importance of recognizing poor sleep as a reason for assessment, as dismissing snoring and witnessing breathing pauses during sleep as harmless can be detrimental to one's health, alertness, and productivity.
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