After a hard day at work, imagine winding down to a gentle meditation playlist in the comfort of your home, lights dimming to a warm glow and the air conditioner adjusting to the perfect sleeping temperature, by just speaking a simple voice command. This is where the ancient Indian wisdom of daily routine or ‘dinacharya’ meets modern technology to combat a silent crisis that’s affecting millions, poor sleep quality.
On World Sleep Day, a nationwide survey conducted by YouGov and Amazon Alexa across ten major Indian cities reveals that 53% of Indians experience sleep-related disorders when they don’t follow a consistent bedtime routine.
A colleague who used to scroll through their phone until they fell asleep recently told me that they now have a proper “wind-down” ritual starting at 9:30 PM each day and that they are noticing improvements in anxiety and mood levels.
As per the survey’s findings, 54% of respondents reported noticeable improvements in sleep quality when adhering to regular bedtime habits.
The research reveals that 86% of surveyed Indians begin their bedtime routines after 8 PM, with more than half (53%) starting after 10:30 PM. In a country where extended family households were once the norm, the report shows interesting variations based on household composition.
Couples without children are the most likely to engage in bedtime routines, followed closely by families with children. These rituals vary widely but often include watching videos (63%), connecting with family and friends (59%), enjoying audio content (58%), and perhaps unsurprisingly, scrolling through social media (57%).
Voice Assistants: The New Sleep Companions
One of the most intriguing findings of this survey is that 52% of respondents now use voice assistants to establish and maintain their sleep routines. Interestingly, the 35-45 age demographic shows higher adoption rates than younger adults aged 25-34.
New parents are seeing Alexa and other voice assistants as a big game changer for establishing routines for children. When Alexa plays their special lullaby playlist and dims the night light, the kids know it’s time for sleep.
While digital entertainment currently dominates bedtime activities, the survey indicates a growing interest in wellness practices. More than 50% of respondents expressed a desire to incorporate meditation, journaling, light exercise, and skincare routines into their pre-sleep rituals.
The survey also reveals that 21% of Indians currently enjoy a snack before bed, with 34% expressing interest in making a relaxing beverage or light snack part of their wind-down ritual.
Perhaps most telling is the growing awareness of screen time’s impact on sleep. Despite high rates of social media use before bed, many respondents expressed interest in replacing phone time with analog activities like puzzles, reading, or brain games.
However, not everyone is convinced. Eleven percent of survey respondents indicated they would prefer “doing nothing” over following a structured sleep routine.
The adoption of voice technology into sleep routines represents a fascinating fusion of ancient wellness wisdom with technology, one voice command at a time.
“Sleep routines are gaining popularity, and what’s noteworthy is that smart technologies, especially voice assistants like Alexa, are increasingly becoming a valuable aid in helping people follow their bedtime routines. Personalised voice AI experiences are emerging as practical alternatives to handheld screen devices before bedtime. Whether it’s playing meditation sessions or relaxing sounds, listening to audiobooks or music, setting reminders and alarms, or controlling smart devices to adjust the room’s sleep environment, people are finding innovative ways to use Alexa as part of their bedtime routines,” said Teena Sidana, Country Manager, Alexa India.
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Siddharth Chauhan
Siddharth reports on gadgets, technology and you will occasionally find him testing the latest smartphones at Digit. However, his love affair with tech and futurism extends way beyond, at the intersection of technology and culture. View Full Profile
