BEIJING, March 21 (Xinhua) — Just a few years ago, only a handful of patients would walk into the sleep clinic at Huimin County People’s Hospital in Binzhou, east China’s Shandong Province. Today, that number has tripled, with annual visits rising from around 200 to 600.
“It’s not that suddenly more people can’t sleep,” said Yin Jianfeng, the clinic director. “It’s that more people are willing to come for help.”
The rising footfall reflects both the widespread nature of sleep problems in China and the rising public awareness of sleep health — a challenge brought into focus as the country marks World Sleep Day on Saturday.
PRESSING DEMAND
According to a survey published in 2025, Chinese people aged 18 and above sleep an average of 7.06 to 7.18 hours, while 48.5 percent report experiencing sleep problems, a share that rises with age.
The survey, conducted by the Chinese Sleep Research Society and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, showed that on average, Chinese adults fall asleep at 11:15 p.m. and wake at 6:38 a.m.
Among younger people, late sleep has become the norm, with around half not falling asleep until after midnight.
High-pressure professionals, people with chronic illnesses, and those with mental health conditions are among the groups most at risk of insomnia.
Huang Zhili, a professor at Fudan University and chairman of the Chinese Sleep Research Society, pointed out that the rise in insomnia is closely linked to China’s rapid industrial and digital development, which has brought intensified competition, heavier workloads, and a growing reliance on electronic devices.
Excessive screen use can disrupt sleep through light and noise stimulation, while constant exposure to information may also heighten anxiety.
Huang also warned that sleep disorders are increasingly affecting younger people, whose sleep problems are often associated with smartphone overuse, academic pressure and parental expectations.
BEYOND BIG CITIES
At Shanghai’s Huashan Hospital, sleep services have been offered for more than two decades, and its sleep disorders center is now a top choice for patients.
For Professor Yu Huan from the hospital’s neurology department, the surge in demand is unmistakable. Her outpatient hours, once limited to half a day, now stretch from the afternoon to as late as 10 p.m.
“Patient visits to sleep clinics are exploding,” Yu said, attributing the trend to both fast-paced lifestyles and growing public awareness of health.
To meet the growing demand and bring sleep services closer to more people, China has stepped up efforts to expand sleep clinics beyond major cities.
In February 2025, Chinese health authorities moved to mandate that each prefecture-level city must have at least one hospital providing sleep clinic services by the end of the year.
By the end of December 2025, outpatient visits to sleep clinics nationwide had risen by 39 percent from a year earlier, making it easier for more patients to access professional care closer to home.
Some regions are going further. In Shandong, sleep clinics have been extended to the county level to improve accessibility. As of October 2025, more than 300 medical institutions across the province had set up such services.
“As sleep clinics become more widespread, the stereotype surrounding psychiatric hospitals is gradually broken. Many patients no longer suffer from sleep disorders in silence. They start to seek help,” said Li Xirong, director of the sleep medicine center of Shandong Mental Health Center.
BEYOND SLEEPING PILLS
As sleep services expand, there is growing recognition that treating sleep disorders requires more than medication alone.
Li said many patients used to have a common misconception that sleeping pills are the only way to treat insomnia.
“Using sleeping pills to fall asleep is like getting a false sleep,” Li said, noting that long-term reliance on medication not only fails to address underlying sleep issues but may also harm the body.
Non-drug therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy, lifestyle adjustments, and device-based treatments such as CPAP machines or transcranial magnetic stimulation, are increasingly used in clinics.
Regular exercise, meditation, and mindfulness practices are also encouraged as part of a holistic approach to better sleep.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including acupuncture, herbal remedies, and tui-na massage, is also being incorporated to address sleep problems and promote overall balance.
Established in 2006, the sleep clinic at Guang’anmen Hospital of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences now handles close to 100,000 outpatient visits each year, with patients with insomnia accounting for around 60 to 70 percent of the total.
“The advantage of the TCM lies in its individualized approach,” said Hong Lan, a senior doctor from the clinic.
“It not only focuses on helping patients fall asleep, but also emphasizes overall body and mind balance,” said Hong. ■
