Bengaluru Woman Wins ₹9 Lakh by Prioritizing Sleep: Her Inspiring Journey
Saishwari Patil, an investment banker from Bengaluru, has turned her love for sleep into a remarkable achievement, winning ₹9 lakh as the ‘Sleep Champion’ in Wakefit’s third season of the sleep internship program. This unique initiative, launched by the Bangalore-based startup, encourages individuals to prioritize their sleep by committing to eight to nine hours each night, along with 20-minute power naps during the day.
As one of twelve selected ‘sleep interns,’ Saishwari was provided with a premium mattress and a contactless sleep tracker to monitor her sleep quality. The program also included workshops led by sleep experts to help participants enhance their sleep habits.
Wakefit’s initiative has garnered significant interest, attracting over 1 million applicants across three seasons, with a total stipend of ₹63 lakh awarded to participants. Recent findings from Wakefit’s 2024 Great Indian Sleep Scorecard revealed that nearly 50% of Indians wake up feeling tired, often due to long work hours, poor sleep environments, and stress.
Reflecting on her experience, Saishwari emphasized the importance of discipline in sleep. “To maintain a good score, you have to be consistent with your sleep and wake-up times, which means cutting down on late-night activities like binge-watching or scrolling through social media,” she shared.
Saishwari acknowledged that the pandemic disrupted her sleep routine, and the pressures of her auditing job contributed to irregular sleep patterns. However, the internship taught her valuable lessons in becoming a disciplined sleeper. She admitted that the competition’s pressure occasionally led to stress, impacting her sleep. “On the day of the finale, I focused on staying calm and present,” she concluded, underscoring the balance between competition and relaxation.
