Sleep Disorders Among Koreans Increasing Annually
Pillow Sales Nearing 1 Million Won Up 142%
Expansion of Technology Development and Marketing Investment for Better Sleep
As the number of people suffering from sleep deprivation increases, consumers are opening their wallets for products that help promote restful sleep. Companies are investing in ‘sleep tech’ that addresses sleep issues through technology to target consumers.
According to the industry on the 7th, Tenminds’ artificial intelligence (AI) pillow ‘Motion Pillow’ saw its sales in the first quarter of this year rise by 142% compared to the same period last year. This figure far exceeded the total sales volume for the first half of last year.
Motion Pillow is a product that helps alleviate snoring by inflating airbags to move the head when the AI detects snoring sounds. User tests showed that 97.3% of users experienced a reduction in snoring. It also won the Best Innovation Award at the ‘CES 2024’ held last January.
The price of this product is 864,000 won, which is equivalent to the price of 29 regular pillows priced at 30,000 won each. Despite being a relatively expensive product, consumers are willing to pay because interest in restful sleep has increased significantly.
According to a survey conducted by Sealy Bed last month on ‘World Sleep Day’ targeting consumers worldwide, 95% of Koreans answered that they do not feel refreshed in the morning, which is higher than the global average of 92%. The most common average sleep duration was ‘4 to 6 hours’ at 48%, showing a difference from the global respondents, 53% of whom answered ‘7 to 8 hours.’
The number of people recognizing lack of sleep as a disease and visiting hospitals has also increased. According to the National Health Insurance Service treatment data, the number of patients treated for sleep disorders in Korea rose by 28% over four years, from 855,000 in 2018 to 1,098,800 in 2022. This reflects growing interest in restful sleep.
In response, companies have also started targeting consumers who are willing to spend on ‘sweet sleep.’ They are investing in related technology research and emphasizing restful sleep in their marketing.
Kyungdong Navien has started calling its ‘hot water mat’ a ‘sleep mat’ from this year. It is not just a name change. The company is also expanding investment in research and development for restful sleep. It signed a business agreement with AI sleep analysis platform company A-Sleep to secure new sleep technologies and is conducting research with KAIST and Seoul National University Hospital to implement the optimal sleep temperature, applying the results to its products.
Bodyfriend recently launched a new sleep tech bed called ‘La Cloud Health Motion.’ This product applies four healthcare modes developed mainly by the company’s medical research and development (R&D) center: ‘Breath Easy,’ ‘Comfort Inside,’ ‘Back Comfort,’ and ‘Leg Comfort.’ It particularly emphasizes products that help restful sleep by researching angles that make breathing comfortable during sleep.
An industry insider said, “Even for products with the same functions, consumer interest is higher when restful sleep is emphasized. Younger generations tend to invest more in restful sleep, so the related market is expected to grow further.”
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