Burning the midnight oil? Your sleep pays the price
It’s 2 AM, you’re not the only one awake.
Across the country, countless people are wide awake, scrolling through social media, answering emails, tired and wired.
This isn’t just a bad habit. It’s a health crisis.
Research has shown a worrying decline in sleep quality across the country in the past few years. Beneath the surface, a silent epidemic is brewing, leaving millions exhausted and burnt out.
Recently, a Bengaluru ad grabbed attention: a person napping on a mattress inside a transparent van, slowly making its way through peak-hour traffic.
A marketing stunt that unexpectedly highlighted a sobering truth: In a culture of constant hustle, rest feels like a rare luxury and not a basic necessity.
The Silent Epidemic
Over the past five years, research has painted a grim picture of India’s sleep habits.
A 2025 global survey by ResMed revealed that nearly 49% of Indian respondents struggled to fall asleep at least three nights a week. This isn’t about the occasional restless night, it’s a recurring issue for millions.
Meanwhile, 1 in 3 Indians is chronically sleep-deprived (ICMR, 2021).
This silent epidemic is doing more than just making people groggy. Poor sleep is linked to higher risks of heart disease, weakened immunity, poor mental health, diabetes and even early cognitive decline. It’s pushing up healthcare costs and silently draining productivity from a workforce that’s already stretched thin.
Sleep Deeper India
Excessive screen time, the pressure of hustle culture and chronic stress, combined with undiagnosed sleep disorders like insomnia or Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), make it difficult to achieve restorative sleep.
Healthy sleep hygiene is essential to combat these disruptions and improve sleep quality. Here’s how:
Enhancing Melatonin for Better Sleep
Melatonin, a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland, helps regulate the circadian rhythm, the internal clock that tells us when to sleep and wake.
The synthesis begins as ambient light decreases, with levels typically rising around 8-9 PM and peaking between 2-4 AM. This peak aligns with the body’s natural readiness for deep, restorative sleep.
When exposed to light, especially blue wavelength light, the production is suppressed, which is why screen exposure at night can delay sleep onset.
Melatonin levels naturally taper off in the early morning hours, allowing cortisol (the “wake-up” hormone) to rise and signal the body to start a new day.
Certain habits and foods can support this natural rhythm and help improve sleep quality:
1) Natural morning light: Morning light exposure helps regulate the sleep–wake cycle by advancing nighttime melatonin release.
2) Include tryptophan-rich foods: Tryptophan, an amino acid found in oats, dairy, nuts, and seeds, supports melatonin synthesis by first converting into serotonin (Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts, 2024).
3) Tart cherry juice: Consuming tart cherry juice helps boost melatonin, improve sleep duration and quality (European Journal of Nutrition, 2020).
4) Focus on magnesium: Magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, legumes, and pumpkin seeds aid melatonin production and relaxation. Supplementation under professional supervision has improved sleep efficiency in older adults (Nutrients, 2022).
5) Snack on nuts: Among the highest plant-based sources of melatonin, pistachios and walnuts are known to improve sleep quality (Nutrients, 2022).
Supplementing Melatonin: Smart support or shortcut?
While a food-first approach is ideal, there are situations where melatonin supplements can offer support, especially when the body’s natural production is disrupted.
1) Shift workers or those working late nights often struggle with irregular light exposure, which throws off their natural circadian rhythm.
2) Older adults typically experience a decline in melatonin production, which can lead to lighter, fragmented sleep.
3) Frequent travelers dealing with jet lag may find low-dose melatonin useful for resetting their internal clock.
4) People with insomnia or delayed sleep phase disorder, under medical supervision, may use melatonin to ease sleep onset.
Melatonin is not a sleeping pill.
Melatonin is a hormone, not a sedative. Taking too much or using it too often can disrupt your natural hormonal balance. Always consult a healthcare professional before use.
Potential risks of overuse include:
1) Morning grogginess or brain fog.
2) Hormonal disruption, especially with long-term use.
3) Possible interactions with medications (e.g., blood thinners, antidepressants).
Meet your gentle sleep ally, Pink Tiger verified
When lifestyle tweaks and dietary changes aren’t enough, your health care provider may recommend reaching out for extra support. With so many options available, make sure you choose the one that truly delivers.
Pink Tiger conducts stringent checks so that you can access clean and safe options without a doubt. Our rigorous testing ensures that every supplement:
1) Is verified for label accuracy.
2) Tested for heavy metals, ensuring compliance with safety standards.
Explore melatonin here
Sleep isn’t passive downtime, it’s an active biological reset. While you rest, your body fine-tunes its systems: hormones are balanced, the brain is detoxified, and your metabolism gets recalibrated.
Skimping on sleep doesn’t just make you tired, it sets off a ripple effect that touches every corner of your health.
So, whether you’re navigating stress, irregular routines or trying to find your rhythm again, know this: prioritizing sleep isn’t indulgent, it’s intelligent.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before trying any new food items, supplements, or products.
References
1) Ramar, K., Malhotra, R. K., Carden, K. A., Martin, J. L., Abbasi-Feinberg, F., Aurora, R. N., Kapur, V. K., Olson, E. J., Rosen, C. L., Rowley, J. A., Shelgikar, A. V., & Trotti, L. M. (2021). Sleep is essential to health: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 17(10), 2115–2119. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.9476
4) Banthiya, S., Sharma, S., Jahagirdar, D., Jahagirdar, V., Garg, M., & Sahadev, H. (2021). Sleep quality in the Indian adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.17535
5) Jha, V. M. (2022). The prevalence of sleep loss and sleep disorders in young and old adults. Aging Brain, 3, 100057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbas.2022.100057
6) Fatemeh, G., Sajjad, M., Niloufar, R., Neda, S., Leila, S., & Khadijeh, M. (2021). Effect of melatonin supplementation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Neurology, 269(1), 205–216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-020-10381-w
7) Wang, L., Deng, Y., Gao, J., Wang, B., Han, H., Li, Z., Zhang, W., Wang, Y., Fu, X., Peng, R., Yao, Q., Tian, Y., & Xu, J. (2024). Biosynthesis of melatonin from l-tryptophan by an engineered microbial cell factory. Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-024-02476-7
8) Howatson, G., Bell, P. G., Tallent, J., Middleton, B., McHugh, M. P., & Ellis, J. (2011). Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European Journal of Nutrition, 51(8), 909–916. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-011-0263-7
9) Breus, M., Hooper, S., Lynch, T., & Hausenblas, H. (2024). Effectiveness of Magnesium Supplementation on Sleep Quality and Mood for Adults with Poor Sleep Quality: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Pilot Trial. Medical Research Archives, 12(7). https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v12i7.5410
10) Givler, D., Givler, A., Luther, P. M., Wenger, D. M., Ahmadzadeh, S., Shekoohi, S., Edinoff, A. N., Dorius, B. K., Baptiste, C. J., Cornett, E. M., Kaye, A. M., & Kaye, A. D. (2023). Chronic administration of melatonin: physiological and clinical considerations. Neurology International, 15(1), 518–533. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint15010031
