Sleep isn't just personal — it's a design challenge. How IKEA is solving it for a tired India

Time of India

10 hours ago

Have you felt it lately? India is losing sleep — and the monsoon isn't helping.
The dust storms howl, and rain drums steadily against the windows. The fan spins on, but the air feels thick. Damp laundry hangs behind the door, shoes crowd the entrance, and the dogs won't stop barking at the thunder. It's past midnight, yet rest feels far away — like something just out of reach.
For many Indian households, monsoon nights bring anything but calm. The season promises respite from the heat, but it also floods homes with noise, humidity, and disruption. As spaces continue to shrink, a basic human need — sleep — is becoming a quiet casualty.
And India isn't alone.
According to the IKEA Sleep Report 2025 — one of the most extensive surveys on sleep behaviour worldwide — people across the globe are sleeping 1 hour 20 minutes less than they want to. In India, this gap carries deeper implications. 37% of Indians rely on medication to sleep — the highest figure recorded globally. And one in four regularly experiences bad dreams. These aren't just statistics — they're signals of an overstretched, exhausted society.
The sleep gap doesn't just leave you groggy. It's now a public health concern and an economic one,
billions in lost productivity*. Mainland China is the only region consistently getting over 7 hours of sleep. Everywhere else, rest is becoming a luxury.
In India, this struggle is largely shaped by shared spaces, digital overload, seasonal stress, and the daily pressures of urban life. The monsoon only heightens these challenges, amplifying the chaos in our homes, cities, and minds.
Why sleep gets tougher during the Indian monsoon
The monsoon has a way of slipping into everything. It lingers in damp corners, seeps into cupboards, clutters balconies, and turns bedrooms into catch-all spaces for drying laundry, scattered footwear, and restless pets. In many Indian households, families sleep in hallways or living rooms due to water seepage or leaks, while the soundscape of the season — relentless rain, traffic snarls, barking dogs, power cuts — transforms homes into echo chambers of restlessness.
This shift doesn't go unnoticed by our body or the mind.
Restless India. Restful homes. IKEA connects the dots
The IKEA Sleep Report 2025 reveals that nearly 6 in 10 people globally report poor sleep due to environmental disturbances. In India, these disturbances take familiar forms: musty air, blocked airflow from sealed windows, and the disarray of routines, especially in joint families where private sleeping zones are rare. This season also stirs up a different kind of overwhelm, emotional and logistical.
Parents try to coax kids back into routines after summer breaks. Pet owners navigate wet walks and anxious animals. Young professionals, already weary from long commutes, confront evenings spent drying clothes indoors and navigating crowded spaces.
Sleep isn't just about hours in bed — it's about what happens in the spaces that hold us. The monsoon, in all its messy generosity, often takes up more space than it leaves behind.
That's where the vision of IKEA stands apart as a partner in building homes that support rest.
Sleep enablers: 6 essentials for better rest, backed by science and design expertise by IKEA
Recognising the urgent need for better rest, IKEA partnered with Oxford mathematician Dr. Tom Crawford to create the
IKEA Sleep Formula
— a science-led framework that explores how comfort, wellbeing, and the environment intersect to shape sleep quality.
Drawn from science and backed by decades of design research, the formula highlights one simple truth: Our homes, when designed with intention, can either support or sabotage our sleep.
Let's dive into the small and thoughtful changes that can help transform the bedroom into a haven for rest, especially when the season, the setting, and the stress all work against it.
Here are your six go-to essential elements:
1. Ergonomic, breathable bedding
The right mattress and pillows don't just support the spine, they regulate body temperature and reduce tossing. During humid months, breathable cotton fabrics and cooling materials become especially important. IKEA designs bedding with these local climate needs in mind with materials that feel soft against the skin and work with, not against, the weather.
2. Blackout curtains and adjustable lighting
Light pollution is a quiet disruptor. In fact, the IKEA Sleep Report 2025 notes that many people cite streetlights or screens as common sleep intrusions. Blackout curtains can create instant night-time calm, while layered lighting (a warm bedside lamp, a dimmable ceiling light) helps cue the body for rest.
3. Bed storage and clutter-reducing furniture
Clutter isn't just visual, it's mental. A messy room can trigger anxiety and delay sleep. Smart under-bed storage or multifunctional furniture helps streamline space, especially in smaller urban homes where every inch counts.
4. Room dividers for shared spaces
Sleep inequality, when one person's rest is disturbed by another's routine, is more common than we think, particularly in shared or multi-use rooms. Room dividers or modular panels offer quiet zones within a home, giving everyone their fair share of privacy.
5. Cool, natural textiles for humid weather
Heavy, synthetic fabrics trap heat, making it harder for the body to cool down, especially during the monsoon season. The use of linen, cotton, and other breathable textiles by IKEA is a quiet yet powerful ally for those seeking comfort throughout the season.
6. Sleep-focused layouts and sensory calm
Sleep isn't just about lying down; it's about how the space feels. Soft rugs, calming artwork, muted tones, and scent accessories can all ease the mind. The IKEA approach to layout focuses on flow, accessibility, and emotion, creating rooms that soothe rather than stimulate.
A bedroom that feels like a retreat
It's one thing to fall asleep, it's another to feel rested. For that, the space we sleep in matters more than we often admit.
According to the
, 66% of people say they sleep better in organised rooms. It's not just about neatness. It's about creating an environment that signals to the mind and body: you're safe, you can slow down now.
It's in the thoughtful placement of a lamp, the softness of a duvet, and the silence offered by a blackout blind. When a bedroom is designed with intention — not just aesthetics — it begins to do what it's meant to: restore, reset, and rejuvenate.
Better sleep isn't about chasing perfection. It's about making space mentally, physically, emotionally, and to pause. And sometimes, that begins with a room that finally feels like it belongs to you.
"At IKEA, we believe that better sleep is key to a better life at home. In India, where homes are dynamic, multi-functional spaces, often shared across generations, we understand how everyday factors like limited space, seasonal shifts, and busy routines can impact rest. Our aim is to listen, learn, and co-create solutions that respond to how people actually live, not just how they aspire to. Sleep shouldn't be a struggle. It should be supported with design that's thoughtful, accessible, and rooted in real life," said Adosh Sharma, Country Commercial Manager, IKEA India.
Sleep is sacred, and IKEA cares
At the heart of better sleep is a simple truth — it's deeply personal, yet universally essential. Whether it's the humidity of the monsoon, the stress of the day, or the shape of the home, what stands between people and good rest often goes beyond just a mattress or pillow.
That's why IKEA approaches sleep not just as a product category, but as a human need worth understanding, supporting, and innovating around. Across global markets and right here in India, the brand continues to listen to people's everyday challenges — from urban families navigating tight spaces to young professionals seeking calm in chaos.
The
is part of that ongoing effort that brings science, design, and real-life experience together to decode what makes rest better. In India, this commitment reflects in inclusive design, expert guidance at IKEA stores, and thoughtful, research-led offerings for diverse living realities.
Thanks to its global research, local observations, and thoughtful design philosophy, IKEA recognises that sleep is not a luxury; it's the cornerstone of a flourishing life. And in a tired country, IKEA is now quietly helping sleep make its way back to homes.
One calming lamp. One breathable quilt. One better night at a time.
Disclaimer: The article has been produced on behalf of IKEA by the Times Internet's Spotlight team.