How K-pop band BTS’ Jeon Jungkook, who dozed off on live stream, got the world talking about sleep

K-pop band BTS' Jeon Jungkook's sleeping video on live stream recently went viral. (Photo Twitter)

Recently, Jeon Jungkook, a member of the K-pop juggernaut BTS, stole the spotlight when he fell asleep during a live video stream, captivating over 6 million viewers on Weverse for 21 minutes. As fans engaged in animated discussions about the band's milestone 10th anniversary and the devoted Army, they also offered suggestions to ensure a restful slumber. The viral video ignited a broader conversation about sleep itself.

While various tips and remedies — eat raw onions in the night, have a cup of warm milk before bedtime, stand in the sun in the mornings — abound for achieving a good night's sleep, some prove more effective than others. Dr Matt Walker, acclaimed as the world's foremost sleep scientist, offered an enlightening perspective in his TED Talk. A neuroscientist, UC Berkeley professor, author of Why We Sleep (2017), and podcaster, Dr Walker described sleep, the ‘Swiss Army knife’ of health, as a non-negotiable biological necessity. He cited an experiment in which sleep was restricted to a mere four hours for a single night, resulting in a staggering 70 per cent reduction in the activity of immune cells known as natural killer cells. This significant immune deficiency underscores the alarming link between insufficient sleep and cancer, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to classify nighttime shift work as a probable carcinogen due to its disruption of sleep-wake rhythms.

In another study, healthy adults were limited to six hours of sleep per night for one week. Researchers measured changes in their gene activity compared to when the same individuals had a full eight hours of sleep for the next week. The study found that lack of sleep affected 711 genes, and after the week of eight hours sleep, approximately half of those genes increased their activity and the other half decreased. The critical finding was that the genes associated with immune system function had switched off, while genes linked to tumour promotion, chronic inflammation, stress, and cardiovascular issues had increased their activities.

It is mind-boggling to know that there are about 84 types of sleep disorders. “Of all the sleep disorders, the most common ones are sleep apnea and insomnia,” says CA Mathew, clinical head of Sleep Blizz, a sleep clinic in Bengaluru. Contrary to common belief, snoring is not an indicator of sound sleep. “Individuals who snore suffer from poor sleep quality, with snoring serving as a precursor to brief stoppages in breathing that can potentially be fatal. Most of the deaths occurring during sleep could be the consequences of sleep apnea.” People across a wide age range, from 25 to 80 years, seek treatment for their sleep-related issues at his sleep clinic, highlighting the pervasiveness of sleep disorders in society.

Sleep clinics typically conduct sleep studies, also known as polysomnography, to assess brain waves, heart rate, breathing patterns, eye movements, limb movements, and blood oxygen levels during sleep. “The basic assessment level is a just a screening test while the most detailed one is done at the lab,” Mathew says. “The pricing could vary from Rs 4000 to Rs 25,000.” For individuals diagnosed with sleep apnea, a Split Night study is often conducted, combining a diagnostic study with a titration study. This helps doctors evaluate the extent of airway collapse and determine the appropriate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) settings.

Managing sleep disorders often requires the expertise of various medical specialists, including pulmonologists (for sleep-related breathing disorders), neurologists (for sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome), psychiatrists (for insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders), otolaryngologists (for ear, nose, and throat-related disorders), and dentists (for sleep-related breathing disorders using oral appliances that help maintain an open airway during sleep).

While sleep disorders demand specialised attention, it is equally essential for individuals without diagnosed disorders to prioritise their sleep. Refrains such as — I don’t need much sleep — are counterproductive to one’s wellbeing. Even losing just an hour of sleep can have significant repercussions. Dr Walker revealed a striking correlation between Daylight-Saving Time, a practice involving advancing clocks by one hour during warmer months, and health outcomes. In spring, losing an hour of sleep resulted in a significant 24 per cent increase in heart attacks the following day, while gaining an hour in the autumn coincided with a 21 per cent reduction in heart attacks. Similar patterns emerged in road traffic accidents and suicide rates.

So, what is the magic number of hours needed for optimal sleep? On average, adults require 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep each night. However, Dr HB Chandrashekar, a pulmonologist and somnologist at Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru, emphasised that there is no universally applicable magic number. "Both excessive and insufficient sleep can be detrimental to health," he explains. “In addition to sleep duration, sleep quality plays a vital role in overall well-being.”

Unfortunately, in the screen-lit company of phones, sleep has become expendable. Human beings are the only species that deprive themselves of sleep for no apparent reason. “Today, most of us, especially the youngsters, are sleep-deprived,” Mathew says. “There is a silent sleep loss epidemic. Even Mother Nature has no solutions on how we can ‘catch up’ on our sleep. It is not a bank where we can pay our debts.”  Experts advise to avoid exposure to any sort of electronic screens before sleep time. And horror of horrors, if you listen to your circadian rhythm, the first wave of sleep hits around 10 pm which means you need to start preparing for bedtime. Are you ready for bedtime? Or, like Jungkook, would you rather sleep at 7 am as he did on that particular day?

Expert speak: Tips on how to sleep better

Avoid the damaging impact of alcohol and caffeine. Most people think that alcohol will aid sleep but it is a sedative and acts like one by blocking REM (Rapid Eye Movement stage), which is critical for many other functions.

Regularity is the King. Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time, no matter whether it’s a weekday or the weekend. The regularity of the bedtime will anchor your sleep and improve the quality and quantity of sleep.

Keep it cool, literally! Your body needs to drop its core temperature by about 2 or 3 degrees Fahrenheit to initiate sleep and then, to stay asleep. Optimally, a bedroom temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 degrees Celsius. You could use a thicker blanket when sleeping if you feel cold.

Have an early dinner at a gap of few hours before the bedtime. It is best to avoid spicy or excessively oily food, which can trigger acidity (gastroesophageal reflux) causing discomfort and disturbed sleep.

In the last hour before bed, dim down three-quarters or at least half of the lights in your home. Switch off almost all the lights in all the rooms. You will be surprised how sleepy that darkness will make you feel. This is an incredible behavioural trigger to signal to your brain that it is time for sleep.

Select a mattress that offers optimal support, striking a balance between softness and firmness.

Meditation is an effective sleep aid. Meditate 10 minutes before bedtime. You could use a meditation app. Some meditation apps have ‘Sleep Stories’ which are just as effective. For those who like to have a TV show or podcast running in the background, a sleep story does the same thing, which is to take your mind off itself. The meditation app Calm became a unicorn company after introducing sleep stories.

Does counting sheep work? Dr Allison Harvey, professor of psychology in UC Berkeley, conducted a study on it. Turns out that it takes longer to sleep that way. Instead, she found that if you close your eyes and think of a walk you take frequently in high fidelity detail then it is easier to fall asleep. A mental walk trumps counting sheep.

If you find yourself tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep, it is recommended not to lie awake in bed for too long. Instead, get up, leave the room, do some meditation if you wish, and return to bed when you feel sleepy.