In Search of Better Sleep
COMO METROPOLITAN SINGAPORE PARTNERS WITH LEADING SLEEP SCIENTISTS TO DELIVER A ‘SLEEP DREAMS’ WELLNESS RETREAT
Dr Julian Lim, Lead Sleep Psychologist at SOMNUS Sleep Wellness, shares why a good night's sleep is so important.
Dr Julian Lim is Lead Sleep Psychologist at SOMNUS Sleep Wellness in Singapore. He is regarded as one of the world's preeminent sleep psychologists, with more than 20 years of experience, an Ivy League PhD in Psychology, and several notable past professorships in his career including at the National University of Singapore and Duke-NUS Medical School. He also has over 40 peer-reviewed publications and a position on the editorial board of the scientific journal in Mindfulness.
I can confidently say that sleep is one of the pillars of good health
After more than two decades as a sleep scientist, I can confidently say that sleep is one of the pillars of good health. Yet for many of us, true rest remains elusive. We live in a pressure-cooker society where stress is normalised. We often sacrifice sleep for productivity, screen-time, or a brief moment of peace after a long day. Hormonal shifts and changing routines add to the challenge. It's no wonder bad sleep is almost endemic.
I spent several years studying the effects of sleep loss, and the reality is that if you're consistently not sleeping enough or having poor quality rest, your risk of chronic disorders increases, from cardiovascular issues to metabolic imbalances. Ignore sleep problems long enough, and your body is eventually going to ask you to slow down. Even in the short term, your mood, focus and productivity will begin to slip.
The good news is that there's a lot you can do to improve your sleep quality. The key lies in holistic health that addresses every stage of the sleep cycle - especially deep sleep, essential for physical repair, and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep which plays a vital role in emotional regulation. That's why I set up Somnus Sleep Wellness. We support not only those with sleep disorders such as insomnia, but also those managing issues like anxiety, which often sit beneath the surface.
At COMO Metropolitan Singapore, you can take part in our sleep screening. It's a 20-minute series of digital questionnaires that assess your sleep health and identify potential risks for sleeping disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea. We test elements such as alertness, with diagnostics so highly calibrated that the US military and NASA use it too. The results will help you understand how to improve your sleep quality. That might include small steps such as limiting screen use before bed, or a recommendation for more comprehensive sleep coaching. In most cases, holistic practices such as meditation, drawn from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-based Therapy (MBT), can make a significant impact in resetting sleep patterns.
If I had to offer just one piece of advice to improve sleep, it would be to learn how sleep really works. Many people treat it as a performance - as though the bedroom is a stage. But good sleep doesn't begin at night. It's a 24-hour cycle, influenced by your daily stress levels and emotional responses. A healthy external and internal environment is important - something that COMO Metropolitan Singapore considers with the ‘Sleep Dreams' retreat. Somnus's sleep screening assesses your internal, emotional world, while your external environment is addressed by the Cambridge Sleep Sciences' SleepHub® device, which can be used in every bedroom to emit sound waves calibrated for optimum rest.
Of course when staying in a hotel room, even frequent travellers might be affected by jet lag or what is known as the ‘First Night Effect' - the disorienting experience of sleeping in a new place for the first time. When your body doesn't recognise its surroundings, your brain remains partially alert. It's an ancient survival mechanism, from a time when unfamiliar places meant possible danger. I always encourage people to reframe the worry over a bad night's sleep: your sleeplessness isn't failure - it's biology doing its job. When you release the guilt, sleep often comes more easily.
My mission is to help people rethink their relationship with sleep - to move beyond the idea that poor sleep is simply part of modern life. The truth is, most sleep concerns can be fixed in a matter of weeks - sometimes even a few nights. What COMO Metropolitan Singapore offers through ‘Sleep Dreams' isn't just a quick fix; it's a thoughtfully curated experience rooted in science - a chance to restore your natural rhythm and rediscover what it feels like to wake up truly rested.
COMO Metropolitan Singapore's ‘Sleep Dreams' wellness retreat includes a three night stay with an in-room SleepHub®, a COMO Shambhala Sleep Kit and sleep screening from SOMNUS Sleep Wellness. Find out more.
