Sales boom in nation's sleep-aid market

Earplugs, an eye mask and a melatonin pill are all essential for 22-year-old Peng Yujiang to sleep well at night.

Before he used these aids, a proper night's rest was largely elusive for Peng, a postgraduate at the Communication University of China in Beijing.

"Sometimes, deep into the night, I would still be thinking about things and unable to fall asleep. Before taking important exams, I was often awake the whole night," he said.

Sun Xiaocheng, an analyst with research company CBNData in Shanghai, said an increasing number of people in China, including the younger generation, are having problems getting proper sleep, and this has triggered a boom in the sleep-aid market.

According to the Chinese Sleep Research Society, just over 38 percent of adults in the country, or more than 300 million people, have sleep problems, and the number is rising.

"Over the past few years, Chinese have increased their awareness of sleep health and have acknowledged that a good night's rest is essential to their well-being and efficiency at work," Sun said. "The younger generation, in particular, is keen on trying new sleep-friendly products, ranging from bedding to monitoring gadgets."

Zhang Bin, the society's director and deputy secretary-general, estimates that the sleep-aid market in China has reached more than 100 billion yuan ($14.6 billion).