Sleepless in Seoul? Heat waves and the rat race keep Koreans awake.

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Sleepless in Seoul? Heat waves and the rat race keep Koreans awake.

Published: 15 Aug. 2024, 14:22 Updated: 15 Aug. 2024, 17:20

LEE SOO-JUNG
lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr

Two people sleep at a beach in Gangwon on August 7, with tropical nights having continued for 19 consecutive days. [YONHAP]

Relentless around-the-clock heat and a hyper-competitive society are making Koreans sleepless, health experts say.

The recently ended 2024 Paris Olympics, with most games live-aired at night due to time zone differences, and the looming fear of a market recession have left thousands of Koreans no option but to stay awake to cheer for Team Korea and monitor overseas stock fluctuations.

People of all ages are trying their best to beat summertime insomnia. They choose decaffeinated coffee in the daytime and play sleep aid videos at night to fall asleep quicker and deeper.

Koreans are relatively sleepless people, with individuals having an average of 7 hours and 41 minutes of overnight sleep a day. This is short of the 2016 OECD average of 8 hours and 22 minutes.

Korean children have become more sleepless than in the past.

According to a survey conducted by a nongovernmental organization, ChildFund Korea, Korean children and adolescents slept an average of 7 hours and 59 minutes each day this year. The survey also found that Korean minors slept 15 minutes less than three years ago. One of every eight respondents is experiencing difficulties in falling asleep.

Gyeonggi Research Institute estimated that sleep deprivation problems have caused an annual economic loss of 11.04 trillion won ($8.1 billion).

As sleep deprivation has become more chronic, a large number of people are seeking medical remedies to cure their insomnia.

The number of insomnia patients who sought medical treatment [HEALTH INSURANCE REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT SERVICE]

A total of 782,381 patients received treatment for their sleep disorders last year, the state-run Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service said on Wednesday.

The figure has nearly doubled over a decade, jumping from 448,022 in 2013.

Tropical nights have persisted for several weeks, disturbing people’s good night's sleep. The phenomenon occurs when overnight temperatures remain 25 degrees or above from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said last month had a record high of 8.8 tropical nights. In average years, July usually has 2.8 days of tropical nights.

Seoul had been experiencing tropical nights for 25 consecutive nights since July 22 as of Thursday.

Prof. Roh Sung-won, who specializes in neuropsychiatry at Hanyang University Medical Center, said it is “apparent that a large number of insomnia patients say they could not fall asleep because of hot weather and tropical nights.” He pointed out that “rising body temperatures can hinder one’s bedtime and sound sleep.”

People flock to a white sand beach in Gangneung, Gangwon on August 4, with tropical nights occurring for 16 straight days. [YONHAP]

Daily battles to conquer insomnia take place outside hospitals and clinics. Young adults aged less than 40 are in search of digital solutions to help them fall asleep more easily and faster.

Some rely on the audio of autonomous sensory meridian response, or so-called ASMR, as such sounds are believed to relax people’s minds and relieve their stress.

Some find listening to others’ whisperings comforting and soothing. There are dozens of anonymous chat rooms where sleepless people join to find others with whom they can share their voices.

According to a report from the JoongAng Ilbo on August 8, a reporter said several voice call requests came after they joined the chat room.

Along with the nighttime heat, the summer games in Paris, which is seven hours behind Seoul, and the recent overseas stock market plunge have made sports fans and investors even more sleepless.

“A scream awakened me during a men’s archery team event,” said 40-year-old office worker Kang, noting he just “saw the rest of the game after failing to fall asleep again.”

A 10-year-old elementary student said he “watched a badminton game all night” on his smartphone.

As recession fears shake global markets, individual investors with stakes in foreign markets are experiencing trouble sleeping. Those who pursue a buy-low strategy in the U.S. market, in particular, have no choice but to stay awake and monitor stock prices.

“I cannot fall asleep lately after the price of stocks I bought fell more than 30 percent on August 5,” another office worker surnamed Moon said.

Another investor, identified by his family name Park, said he “barely focused on his work at his office in the daytime” because he did not sleep enough overnight and “did stock-trading” instead.

Among traders, such behavior is called “insomnia trading.”

An employee at Starbucks makes coffee in a store in downtown Seoul on July 31. [NEWS1]

Some people avoid caffeinated coffee to combat insomnia, as the caffeine can interfere with sound sleep.

Decaffeinated coffee is generally brewed by coffee beans with over 90 percent of the caffeine removed.

The Korea Customs Service said imports of decaffeinated coffee beans have quadrupled from 1,724 tons in 2018 to 6,521 tons last year.

Starbucks Korea has sold over 100 million cups of decaffeinated coffee in Korea since its introduction in 2017.

Another office worker in his 30s, Seo, said he has been taking “only decaffeinated coffee since last year because consuming a half shot of espresso in the afternoon bothers his bedtime.”

Middle-aged people are trying barefoot walking, hoping it could help them fall asleep.

By age group, people in their 60s have the largest number of patients with sleep disorders, followed by people in their 50s and 70s.

Kang, an older adult who used to take sleeping pills in the past, said he “has been having sound sleep after barefoot walking.”

Yet, the scientific effectiveness of the abovementioned measures remains unproven.

Neurologist and professor Jung Ki-Young of Seoul National University Hospital said decaffeinated coffee was "relatively better than other caffeinated drinks.” However, Jung said that “there is not enough scientific evidence substantiating the effects of ASMR,” adding that “it would be fine if such a method helps young people fall asleep.”

Health experts suggested that a “well-established daily routine” should be a priority for sound sleep.

“Regardless of weekends and weekdays, setting consistent wake-up times is the best practice,” neurology professor Yang Kwang-ik from Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital Cheonan said.

Some experts say the fundamental solution goes beyond correcting one’s bedtime habits. They say society should guarantee and protect people’s fundamental right to sleep.

“Developed countries consider providing enough bedtime to children a basic human right,” said Lee Soo-jin, a research team head at ChildFund Korea. Lee also noted that social guidelines should be in place to prevent children from suffering sleep deprivation.

She added that the government should proactively protect children’s right to sleep. “A merit-based and achievement-oriented society should embrace a culture that respects one’s rights to rest and sleep.”

Jung said that “insomnia correlates to other chronic illnesses and social costs.” He added that society should reshape its awareness by considering sleep is essential to good health.

BY MOON SANG-HYEOK, NAM SOO-HYOUN, SON SUNG-BAE, SHIN HYE-HYEON, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]