Rest assured: A three-night journey to better sleep at this wellness resort in Hua Hin

Sleepy tea. Lavender essential oil. Memory foam pillow. Brown noise. If you were playing New York Times’ Connections, these would all fall under “things to help you sleep better”. For me, these are non-negotiables every night — which is why I found myself at Chiva-Som Hua Hin, Thailand, embracing its new Sleep Enhancement Specialisation (SES) programme.

Because, frankly, like many Singaporeans, I’ve been struggling to get those elusive zzz’s. A little preliminary research revealed that eight out of ten of us use sleep hacks, yet only 44 per cent manage to clock seven hours a night. We’re not just sleep-deprived; we’re practically sleep royalty, trailing only behind South Korea and Japan. Yay, third place?

The science of sleep

Sleep deprivation isn’t just about being grumpy the next day; it wreaks havoc on your health. During a good night’s rest, your body repairs, improves memory, and boosts the immune system. According to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, chronic sleep deprivation raises your risk for all sorts of fun things like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer. Not exactly a prize worth competing for.

It’s not just the hours you log, either. The quality of your sleep matters, too, and a whole range of factors can mess with that — from what you eat to your mental health to that questionable TikTok scrolling habit right before bed. Dr Matthew Walker, a British scientist and sleep evangelist, called it “the greatest legal performance-enhancing drug that most people are neglecting”.

Getting away to sleep in

Enter sleep retreats: the hospitality industry’s latest answer to burnout culture. These luxurious “sleepcations” are designed to help you do one thing — sleep, and sleep well. They’ve become such a trend that people are jet-setting halfway around the world to nap in peace. And who can blame them?

Take, for instance, the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, where you can drift off in an aerial silk hammock during their “sacred nap” — a part of their Life Talks and Meditation series. Or The Langham, Hong Kong, with its Sleep Matters by Chuan programme, featuring everything from a curated turndown kit to a Chuan breathing guide rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Closer to home, there’s the Conrad Singapore Orchard’s Signature Sleep-to-Wake Ritual, which has calming teas, sound baths, and the plushest bedding you can imagine. It’s practically a sleep lover’s dream come true.

In pursuit of the best sleep I’ve had

But I wasn’t about to just sleep on this trend (pun fully intended). In the name of research and hoping to cure my years-long insomnia, I stayed three nights at Chiva-Som Hua Hin — a wellness retreat that’s been pampering souls for almost 30 years.

This “haven of life”, as they call themselves, offers everything from advanced sleep hormone testing to a range of wellness treatments designed to help you get your best rest ever.

The rules at Chiva-Som are strict but welcome: no devices (except in your room and the Library), no children under 16, and a mandatory personalised consultation upon arrival. For my SES programme, the focus was on easing stress and physical tension, all while creating the ultimate sleep-friendly environment.

My room was equipped with an essential oil diffuser, a body bolster, and a memory foam pillow (including 14 other pillow types to choose from). I even had a clock that glows brighter as wake-up time approaches. Talk about waking up on the right side of the bed.

To get to the root of my sleep issues, I took a sleep apnea test (nocturnal polysomnography, to be fancy). I spent the night strapped to a chest monitor that measured my heart, lungs, brain activity, breathing patterns, and blood oxygen levels. Spoiler alert: It turns out I stop breathing an average of 14 times a night. That’s right — 14. The solution? I need to sleep on my side more often.

Over the next two and a half days, I was pampered with massages, floatation therapy, and spine analysis, all designed to help me optimise my sleep at the retreat and back home. It’s tough work, but someone’s got to do it.

Of course, no wellness retreat would be complete without mindful eating. Chiva-Som’s cuisine is as fresh as it gets, with seafood straight from the ocean and organic fruits grown in a private garden. I don’t think I’ve eaten that many fruits and vegetables in years.

Sleepless in Singapore, no more (I hope)

By the time I checked out, I had learned a lot more about myself than expected. My mild scoliosis, for instance, is likely the culprit behind my sciatica. And those sleep apnea episodes? Scary, but solvable with a few changes to my habits. My new plan? Stretching daily to ease tension and adding L-theanine to my nighttime routine to keep those middle-of-the-night wake-ups at bay.

There’s more to come, of course. I’ve submitted a urine sample for further hormone testing (crossing my fingers for good news), and I’m working on staying committed to the lifestyle changes Chiva-Som helped me realise.

But what have I gained already? The ability to slow down, limit screen time, and embrace the now. I even read a novel for the first time in years. And, most importantly, I’m finally getting that elusive, uninterrupted sleep. It’s been a game-changer.

As for what’s next? Well, let’s just say I’m cautiously optimistic — and well-rested enough to deal with whatever those test results throw my way.