We refer to the article “Sleepless in Singapore: Why are we not getting enough sleep?” (Straits Times, Aug 20).
Sleep very little?
It states that “A recent study by Jawbone, maker of a digitised wristband that tracks how its users move and sleep, shows that Singapore is among cities in the world with the least hours of sleep, clocking an average of 6 hours and 32 minutes a day. Why are we not sleeping enough and what are the effects?”
So, why are we ranked third in the world for sleeping the least?
20 possible contributing reasons:
… We are number 1 in the world for the longest work week hours
… We are arguably number 1 in the world (developed countries) for having the most people earning very little – For example, 114,000 full-time workers earning less than $1,000
… More than 200,000 full-time, part-time and self-employed persons earn less than $1,000 a month. We estimate about 400,000 and 600,000 earn less than $1,200 and $1,500 respectively
… We are stressed by the rising cost of living – Government from a cashflow perspective – does not spend a single cent on healthcare, HDB or CPF
… We have the most expensive public housing in the world
… We have the lowest public spending as a percentage of GDP (1.4%) in the world
… At about 67% – our private health expenditure is the highest among developed countries
… We also dipped in the health index, from 56th spot last year to 59th this year … high levels of out-of-pocket health expenditure
… According to the Mercer’s 2012 Cost of Living Survey, Singapore is the 6th most expensive city out of 143 cities in the world
… We take the highest excess returns from our citizens in our CPF system (over 6% returns historically but only give 3+% CPF average weighted interest rate?)
… We have the lowest real return of all pension funds in the world
… Singapore ranked a poor 125th spot for income equality, worse than the previous year’s 117th place, in a retirement index study
… Singapore’s quality of life index, which measures the level of happiness and fulfilment in society as well as environment factors, dropped to 75th place from 39th last year
… Singapore has been ranked as having the 2nd highest work stress in Asia
… the the lowest fertility in the world – out of 224 countries
… ranked the 2nd lowest libido as compared to over 40 countries
… Surveys such as the Gallup rank Singaporeans as having the least positive emotions, most emotionless and least optimistic
… the Happy Planet Index ranks Singapore at 90th – most unhappy
… Singaporeans are second least likely to help a stranger, out of 135 countries.
Need we say more – We rest our case!
S Y Lee and Leong Sze Hian
P.S. Come with your family and friends to the
3rd Return Our CPF protest on 23 August 4 pm at Speakers’ Corner https://www.facebook.com/events/648543138548193/?ref=2&ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming
