97% of Singapore workers say poor sleep affects productivity levels in the office, new findings reveal

Most workers also fail to recognise sleep apnea signs, misinterpreting chronic gasping, snoring, and daytime exhaustion as standard work stress.

For many Singaporeans, feeling tired at work has become an accepted part of a busy professional life. But a new survey suggests that poor sleep may be doing more than causing a slow start to the day: it could be quietly affecting concentration, decision-making, and productivity across the workforce.

According to Easmed and The Air Station's Sleeping Enough, Waking Up Tired: The Hidden Cost of Sleep Apnea Risk in Singapore’s Workforce, 97% of office-based working adults surveyed said their productivity drops after a poor night’s sleep. More than half of respondents, or 58%, estimated that their performance falls by more than 20%.

The survey, conducted in June 2026, polled 1,000 office-based adults in Singapore aged 30 to 60. The findings point to a substantial gap between workers’ sleep needs, their understanding of sleep health, and whether they seek professional help.

A nightly sleep deficit

Respondents reported getting an average of 6.3 hours of sleep per night, although they said they need 7.4 hours to feel refreshed. This leaves an average nightly shortfall of 1.1 hours.

Over time, that gap can add up. Poor sleep was associated with reduced productivity and concentration, while daytime fatigue can make routine work more difficult to manage.

Still, tiredness has become normalised for many. Half of respondents said daytime sleepiness is simply part of a busy working life. Nearly one in five continued to associate needing little sleep with a strong work ethic, even though more than 80% recognised that sleep sacrifice is not a virtue.

Dr Phua Chu Qin, Senior Consultant Otolaryngology (ENT) and Director of Sleep Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, said the survey reinforces the need to view sleep as more than a personal lifestyle choice.

“The productivity findings for this local survey reinforce that sleep is not simply a lifestyle issue. This is timely, because Singaporeans need to move away from normalising poor sleep and persistent daytime fatigue and start to recognise when poor sleep warrants assessment.”

One in four workers at risk of sleep apnea

The survey also found that nearly one in four office workers (24%) screened at intermediate-to-high risk of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a condition in which the upper airway repeatedly relaxes and collapses during sleep, briefly interrupting breathing and oxygen flow. The brain then wakes the body enough to restart breathing, often without the person being aware of it.

These repeated disruptions can interrupt sleep cycles and contribute to loud snoring, gasping, unrefreshing sleep and severe daytime exhaustion.

One notable finding was that respondents at the highest risk of sleep apnea reported spending more time in bed than lower-risk respondents. High-risk workers reported an average of 6.68 hours per night, compared with 6.30 hours among low-risk workers.

This underlines an important distinction: more time in bed does not necessarily mean better-quality sleep. When breathing is repeatedly disrupted throughout the night, sleep may not be restorative, regardless of its duration.

The survey also suggested that those at greatest risk may be least likely to recognise the effects. High-risk respondents were more than twice as likely as low-risk respondents to say that poor sleep had no impact on their productivity (8%), compared with 2.5%.

Misconceptions around sleep health persist

The findings also revealed several misconceptions that may delay assessment and treatment.

Half of the respondents considered daytime fatigue normal in a demanding work life. A quarter believed that brief pauses in breathing during sleep are harmless, while 24% thought loud, regular snoring was a sign of deep and healthy sleep.

These beliefs were even more common among individuals in the high-risk sleep apnea group. Fifty-two per cent believed loud snoring was healthy, and 54% considered breathing interruptions harmless.

Barriers to seeking help

Awareness of sleep apnea remains limited. In fact, six in 10 respondents said they had either never heard of sleep apnea or only knew its name. Meanwhile, 56% had never evaluated their sleep quality through a doctor, app, or diagnostic test.

For those who have not sought assessment, cost and uncertainty were key barriers. About half of the respondents (51%) cited the cost of diagnosis or treatment. Another 36% said they did not know where to seek help.

To tackle the issue, Yvonne Loo, Group Director, Easmed, said reducing these barriers should be a priority. 

“Sleep health can no longer be viewed purely as a personal lifestyle choice; it is a critical workplace health issue that directly impacts safety, decision-making, and long-term cardiovascular health."

What employers can do

Flexible working hours were the top form of sleep-related support requested by employees, cited by 72% of respondents. While flexible schedules may help workers get more rest, health experts emphasise that they cannot resolve underlying clinical conditions such as sleep apnea.

More direct workplace measures could include subsidised sleep screening, cited by 37% of respondents, and targeted sleep-health education, cited by 21%.

Methodology

The Singapore Workforce Sleep Survey 2026 surveyed 1,000 working adults in Singapore aged 30–60, with an equal gender split. Respondents were tertiary educated and worked in office-based or primarily office-based roles. Fieldwork was conducted online from 4–17 July 2026 through Milieu's proprietary survey community.

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READ MORE: 67% of employees surveyed in Asia say lack of sleep directly affects their ability to focus and perform at work 

Infographics / Easmed