Harnessing the science of sleep

With round-the-clock connectivity and a work-from-anywhere culture, an increase in stress, anxiety and associated sleep disorders has fuelled demand for sleep-health services in spas.

The sleep tech market is projected to be worth $36 billion by 2027 and global hotelier Hilton reports that one in four travellers already book a spa or wellness treatment to enhance their sleep. The Global Wellness Institute’s Sleep Initiative Survey found that 59 per cent of travellers specifically seek out properties that will help them get better rest.

Emlyn Brown, global senior vice president of well-being strategy, design, development at Accor, says: “Quality sleep is the cornerstone of wellness. Creating experiences that contribute to a solid night’s rest is a huge opportunity for spas. While single sleep treatments are a good way to engage clients, the industry needs to embrace this further and take a more scientific approach to deliver measurable success, with analysis and diagnosis leading to personalised treatments.”

Spas already offering science-backed sleep services include COMO Shambhala with its Sleep Dreams initiative and SHA Wellness Clinic’s Sleep Well programme. Chenot’s Sleep Cycles module includes everything from nanobionic bed linen, with molecules that

absorb the body’s heat and reflect it back as infrared energy, to the NuCalm meditation treatment, which can be continued at home.

Dr Michael Breus, a consultant known as the Sleep Doctor, partnered with Six Senses to create its original Sleep programme. He says spas should educate guests on how to improve sleep at home. “Spa retreats are an excellent environment for education about sleep,” says Breus. “People are open-minded and looking to learn. To serve consumers better, spas must help people learn practises that promote improved sleep, such as meditation, muscle relaxation and yogic postures.”

WHAT IT MEANS FOR SPAS…

Successful brands will embrace the burgeoning sleep health market with science-based sleep resets, or merge ancient holistic wisdom with contemporary wellness to deliver treatments and therapies.