₹9 lakh to stay asleep: Bengaluru’s investment banker wins money, earns ’sleep champion’ title for unique feat

Despite working long hours in a stressed job, people in this competitive world are sleep-deprived and unable to turn their dreams into reality. What if someone gets paid to sleep?

The same happened with Bengaluru-based investment banker Saishwari Patil, who recently won ₹9 Lakh and earned the title of 'Sleep Champion' in the third season of Wakefit's sleep internship program, reported the Hindu.

According to the report, she was among the 12 'sleep interns' chosen for Wakefit's sleep internship program, which encourages individuals to sleep for eight to nine hours each night. The program meant is meant for individuals who value sleep but struggle to prioritize it. Under the program, interns were also encouraged to take 20-minute power naps during the day.

About the program:

Wakefit's sleep internship program provided each participant with a premium mattress and a contactless sleep tracker, that would monitor their sleep quality. Led by sleep experts, the interns attended workshops to enhance their sleep habits. They were also encouraged to win the coveted 'Sleep Champion' title.

Over three seasons, Wakefit's program has attracted over 1 million applicants and engaged 51 interns. They were also paid a total of ₹63 lakh in stipends.

Stressing the reason for this program, Wakefit's Chief Marketing Officer Kunal Dubey said that in their 2024 edition of Great Indian Sleep Scorecard, they found out nearly 50% of Indians wake up feeling tired, with common causes including long work hours, poor sleep environments, stress, and lack of physical activity, reported The Hindu.

"Our sleep internship is a playful way to reconnect Indians with sleep, offering a stipend as motivation," The Hindu quoted Dubey as saying.

"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. It's tough to break these habits, but it's worth it," she added.

Patil shares her experience:

Stating reasons for her irregular sleep, she said that COVID disrupted her routine and her demanding work as an auditor.

He took to Instagram and wrote, “Officially a Sleep Champion 💫🧿Incredibly grateful for getting the Greatest Job Stint! 😴🙈Extremely humbled by the turn of events, I have my God to turn to and thank for the same!”

Abou the program, she said, as The Hindu quoted, "This internship taught me how to become a disciplined sleeper. The idea of improving my sleep score was stressful. How do you prepare to sleep well? On the day of the finale, I just focused on staying calm and present," Patil said.

"I think I'm a good sleeper. I can sleep anywhere-even on a bike ride! A friend and I applied for fun because it seemed like a crazy concept," she said, adding, "This internship introduced me to the fascinating world of sleep science, and I'm eager to continue learning and advocating for better sleep."