Sleep expert Dr. Debbie Bernardo (bottom row, left most) led the discussion on the why’s and how’s of surviving an era of sleeplessness. The webinar hosted by Bounce Back Ph also had Wellspring CEO Casey Ching (upper row, third from left); “Mommy” Vanna Reyes, a resident mom of Madiskarte Moms PH (upper row, middle); Mark Darwin Balaswit, Top Dog Copywriter PH’s freelance writer (upper row, left most); Bounce Back Philippines CEO Nicco Viray and Bounce Back PH COO Bianca Angeles (bottom row, middle and right most respectively).
As Filipinos climb up the charts as the 4th most sleep-deprived people in the world, a sleep specialist advised that one of the “cures” could be making your bed a sanctuary only for sleep, rest, and sex. This is amid the current work-from-home (WFH) set-up where many people have converted their bedrooms as their temporary workstations.
Dr. Debbie Bernardo, neurologist and sleep specialist, emphasized that removing all work activities and their gadgets is one important way by which Filipinos could revert back to healthy sleeping habits.
In a webinar hosted by business community Bounce Back PH and health and wellness company Wellspring Philippines, she pointed out that sleeplessness could lead to depression, anxiety, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and breast and prostate cancer.
Tips for the sleep-deprived
Dr. Bernardo added, “People are not aware of their insufficient sleep so they don’t make it a priority in their schedules.” What can help them distinguish their personal and workspaces is transforming the bedroom into a “sanctuary for sleep and sex only. It has to have a comfortable, chilly room temperature and slow relaxing music. Ambient lights must be replaced by night mode, and all other electronic gadgets must be turned off at least an hour before snoozing off. Go to the bedroom only when you want to sleep.”
For her part, Casey Ching, COO of health and wellness company Wellspring, anxiety in their family was the cause of their sleeplessness.
“Our anxiety level was high especially during the pandemic we were concerned about the senior members of the family and the babies and we were also constantly thinking about our businesses so we suffered from bouts of anxiety and sleeplessness,” Ching said. This led them to look for something that would provide them relief and created the Wellspring melatonin gummies.
“We were the first to use Wellspring melatonin gummies and we continue to do so when the need arises. These gummies have helped relieve us of our anxieties and sleep deprivation.”
Discipline and mindset change
Ching shares with sleep-challenged Filipinos the lessons learned during her bouts with chronic sleep inefficiency: “When we lack sleep, we tend to not function optimally. Because you are stressed, you wake up not well- rested—and that hampers productivity generally.”
In bringing the FDA-approved melatonin gummy to the country, she saw that it addressed the sleep problems of “young adults who suffer from anxiety, mommies, and freelancers who have to do the extra hustle to make a living.” She described Wellspring melatonin gummies as “not sleeping pills, but they are there to relax you. Melatonin for example is produced by the body and has now been developed and manufactured in vitamin form. It can alleviate fatigue and let you sleep naturally and deeply.”
Regardless of their parenthood stage, mothers of all kinds—stay-at-home moms, single moms, working moms, and entrepreneurial moms—tend to be sleep-deprived. “Mommy “Vanna Reyes, a resident mom of Madiskarte Moms PH, one of the biggest mommy communities in the Philippines, pointed out that sleeplessness can also affect personal ties, not just work: “You can struggle in your relationship with friends. I have to be more attentive to my children. Alone time with your significant other is important; intimacy can decrease if it is set aside and is often overlooked because of the loaded responsibilities and worries.”
Starting sleep habits early
Balaswit recommended a drastic change in mindset to acquire good sleep: “Filipinos wear this badge of honor for sleeplessness but it needs to stop. Why not do something about it and consider alternative solutions like Wellspring melatonin gummies, exercising, and eating healthy?”
Dr. Bernardo clarified that the recommended minimum hours for adults are still seven. Less hours of sleep, especially in mid-life, “can contribute to dementia in the future. Start as soon as possible in improving your sleep.”
Reyes agreed about developing sleep habits as early as possible, this time for the younger generation. “Let your kids know that sleep is very important in their lives. I collect their gadgets before they sleep. When it’s light’s off, it’s light’s off.” She also tells her kids, “You can succeed in life if you have a good foundation in sleep.”
The devoted wife and mother of three also finds that melatonin relaxes her more and makes her “willing to fight the day with a more agreeable mindset.”
The fun way to take your vitamins
Ching believes that “many people nowadays opt to take gummies because they’re easier to swallow, and taste better.” Aside from melatonin, Wellspring gummies contain other ingredients with added benefits such as vitamin B6 and Passiflora extract.
Ching added that Wellspring is the only brand in the market today to have three variants of their melatonin gummy products. These are the Melatonin Sleep Aid Gummies with passion fruit extract to help relax promote calm before bedtime, Wellspring Nighttime with Collagen and Hyaluronic acid for better sleep and glowing skin, and Extra Snooze Extra Strength Melatonin with L-theanine and Lemon Balm gummies for an added dose of relaxation for that extra good night’s sleep.
Dr. Bernardo expressed hope that others, especially the sleep-deprived, will help her spread “the gospel of sleep. A good night’s sleep isessential for good health.”