The Future of Sleep - The Meaning of Getting a Good Night’s Rest

In today’s episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin, Jason and Ujwal discuss the shifting meaning of sleep. From consumer concern for tolerance to sleep aids and drugs to holistic sleep support and how living with chronic pain impacts sleep.

  Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge.   It seems consumers are desperate for a good night’s sleep and are prepared to try anything to make it happen. But, researchers at MotiveBase are seeing a growing concern for tolerance and long-term effects of sleep aids.   UJWAL [00:03:20] “So now suddenly people are realizing, ‘Hang on a second, this is not sustainable for me long-term. I can't be popping certain pills just to help me sleep. I need more natural solutions’.”   Exercise, eating habits, screen time, recovery. Consumers have become more aware of the holistic impact of their daily choices that can lead to a better or worse night's sleep.   JASON [00:06:19] “So as consumers are thinking more about the holistic choices they're making it's just natural that sleep has risen in the conversation and the narrative because it is so important to how we live our lives, but also how we basically recover from all these aspects of life that happen when we’re awake.”   UJWAL [00:07:57] “And the problem is that you will struggle to find a company that demonstrates that today, a holistic approach to sleep in the future, sleep in general, and the impact of sleep on our overall health and wellbeing, … because all the solutions are targeted solutions.”   And with this shift in understanding the interconnectedness comes the developing connection of sleep and pain particularly for those living with chronic pain.   UJWAL [00:10:40] “The consumer realizes that, ‘Hang on a second. If I'm living with pain, that too bears a connection to sleep.’ And again, it's a chicken and an egg, right? I don't know what comes first but the point is that it bears a connection.”   This presents a tension of sorts amongst consumers.   JASON [00:11:16] “Where on one side of the equation, we've got a group of consumers that is realizing that we can't just be reactionary. Right? We can't. Take a pill to solve a problem.”   JASON [00:12:03] “Now the tension on the other side is there is a group of consumers that are reacting because they are trying to overcome this notion of pain and they're exploring, and they're looking for new types of solutions.”   Next week on Why Meaning Matters, we take a closer look at one of the solutions that is creating a huge wave in the area of holistic health application. Cannabis.   Why Meaning Matters is a podcast produced by Story Studio Network and iContact Productions for MotivBase- Decoding implicit meaning behind what people talk about.   If you want to contribute to the conversation, make sure you drop us an email at hello [at] storystudionetwork [dot] com. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to SHARE it, RATE it, and SUBSCRIBE to the show!