Too busy to sleep? The cost of Kenya’s 24/7 lifestyle

Like the timeless wisdom of an apple a day keeping the doctor away, the notion of eight hours of sleep per night has been a well-worn prescription for health. Yet, the demands of modern life seem indifferent to these warnings. To many, sleep is a luxury.

In Kenya, the economic realities add another layer to this narrative. High living costs push many into side hustles or freelance work, often at the expense of sleep.

A Swahili saying captures this struggle perfectly: “Mambo ni mengi, masaa ni machache,” loosely translated as, “There’s too much to do and too little time.” This has become the mantra of a sleep-deprived generation.

For decades, debates have swirled around sleep—how much is enough, who needs more, and what happens if we oversleep. One persistent question asks whether men truly need an hour less than women: eight for women, and seven for men. But as life becomes more fast-paced and priorities pile up, the question has shifted to something more like, do we even need to sleep?

 Take Simon Ngotho, for example. He is a 34-year-old administrator at a real estate company. His workday officially begins at 8am and wraps at 5pm. But when he requested that we conduct this interview at 9pm, he was just getting started on his second shift—freelance gigs that help him bridge the gap between his salary and expenses. 

“What time will you sleep tonight?” I asked. He chuckled before responding, “In a week, on Christmas Day.” Only later did I realise he wasn’t joking. This is his plan for tomorrow.

Work routine

For weeks, Simon has averaged less than three hours of sleep a night. His work routine often sees him spending nights at the office, grabbing a change of clothes from his car before starting another day. 

“When I got this job last year, I was already deep into my freelancing work,” he says.

“These gigs supplement my income. Without them, I’d have to scale down our lifestyle or even move my family from the city to the village. By reducing my sleep, I get to keep my family close and I try to make up to them when I can.” 

Simon admits his body often forces a shutdown. “You know when you’ve hit the wall. Your body takes over. For now, I’m just banking on Christmas Day for real rest. Until then, I have to push through.” 

For Annabel Onyango, the battle against sleep is fought across time zones. She works remotely for an international organisation based in Ontario, Canada—eight hours behind her home here in Nairobi 

“I have my first meeting of the day at 5pm, Kenyan time which is 9am, my employer’s time,” she explains.

“Relocation isn’t an option yet because my work visa is still in progress. When I should be sleeping during the day, life takes over—deadlines, school assignments, and household chores. On most days, I get no more than four hours of sleep.” 

But work is not the only reason why Kenyans are sleeping fewer hours. For Mercy Njeri, the culprit is “ social media. I find myself trying new TikTok challenges or doom scrolling social media platforms in the wee hours. I will go to bed at 3am and then wake up at 6:30 am to prepare for work.”

These three stories offer just a glimpse of a larger reality—one that might include you. Like yourself, when was the last time you had at least six hours of uninterrupted sleep?

“I think part of the reason people are not sleeping enough is the fact that we glorify hustling, if I may call it that. I see phrases like I’ll sleep when I am dead which perpetuates the notion that sleep is for the lazy. I don’t buy that,” says Irene Moraa, a psychology student.

Dr Peter Muthinji, a specialised clinical physiologist (neuro) and somnologist, argues that at least six hours of sleep is non-negotiable. Some struggle to sleep, and others are narcoleptic, which means that their brains cannot regulate the sleep-wake cycles.

“Why do we sleep in the first place?” He poses, then continues: “There is evidence to support that it is in times of sleep when you get restored. So if you lack sleep, for instance, and you do it for many days, it means then you will have lost in some of the things that should be happening in your sleep,” he says.

Our falling asleep and waking up, Dr Muthinji explains, is regulated by the body’s internal clock–circadian rhythm. “The brain produces some chemicals that signal the body to sleep or wake up. If you work the night shift or are travelling and sleep during the day, you will not have the rest of the sleep that you would get at night. And that’s why, for example, you find some people having things like jet lag because when you move from one zone to another, there is a change in timing. And that change in timing may influence your circadian rhythm,” he offers.

Xxxxxxxx

It's 6pm at Nairobi’s bustling Railways bus station, a hive of activity as the festive season reaches its peak. A bus driver, gearing up for a long overnight trip to Western Kenya, exchanges pleasantries with the first wave of passengers jostling for seats. The crowd swells by the minute, hundreds of eager travellers clutching their luggage—ranging from neatly packed suitcases to oversized bags filled with clothes and other stuff.

This scene is a hallmark of Christmas Eve in Kenya when the city slows down, and the exodus to rural homes begins. As the bus inches out of the station, the chaos gradually fades. Conversations quiet down, and the hum of the engine begins to lull passengers into slumber. For the passengers, sleep is an escape—a way to make the long, bumpy ride feel shorter. But for the driver, sleep is the one thing that cannot be an option. The stretch of highway ahead demands his full attention. Yet, what if he too has not had enough rest? 

A 2022 study by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that sleepiness and sleep deprivation were related to road traffic accidents, and sleep deprivation was the main contributor to drowsiness while driving.

“What we normally encourage for a long distance is having two drivers in one vehicle because you will find that somebody did not have enough sleep and if one feels like they want to sleep, the other can drive the vehicle,” says Albert Karakacha, chairperson Matatu Owners Association (MOA).

For passengers, Mr Karakacha emphasises the importance of vigilance.“ If they notice the driver dozing off, they should stop the vehicle immediately and report the matter to police so that action can be taken. We also advise our drivers to take a siesta before continuing their journey,” he adds.

As Mr Karakacha stresses the importance of rest for drivers, the question lingers: can we truly function on minimal sleep without paying the price? 

“The short answer is no,” says Mwende Kimeli, a sleep health practitioner and consultant at Momzy network, a platform she started inspired by narrations of individuals struggling to sleep. “Humans cannot adapt to consistently minimal sleep without consequences. While it may feel like we’re “getting used to it,” scientific evidence tells a different story. Insufficient sleep—less than seven hours per night for most adults—leads to noticeable declines in mood, cognitive performance, and overall health. The body and brain demand their time to recover, no matter how much coffee or willpower we throw at the problem,” she offers.

Sleep, in her telling, is not a wasteland of inactivity. “During sleep, the brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and clears toxins that accumulate throughout the day. Meanwhile, the body repairs tissues, regulates metabolism, and strengthens the immune system. When we don’t get enough sleep, these essential processes are disrupted. In the short term, this leads to drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, and irritability. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, and even cognitive decline,” she adds.

What’s even more concerning, she points out, is how often people underestimate the impact of sleep deprivation on their performance. Studies reveal that individuals who chronically sleep less than six hours per night may feel fine, but objective tests show otherwise—reaction times slow, decision-making falters, and memory suffers. It’s a classic case of being “too tired to notice” just how tired you really are.

“While it’s true that humans can temporarily push through periods of sleep deprivation—think parents with newborns or healthcare workers during marathon shifts—this isn’t sustainable,” she continues. Stress hormones like adrenaline might keep you alert in the short term, but the long-term toll is significant. Without adequate rest, the body and brain cannot maintain optimal functioning.

So, can people be trained to sleep better? “Not exactly,” she says. “Sleep is a natural biological process—it doesn’t require direct ‘training.’ But what I do is help individuals identify and address barriers to healthy sleep, creating the conditions for their bodies and minds to rest naturally.”

She recalls one client, a young professional who was convinced they could function on just five hours of sleep per night. “They thought they were managing fine—until their work performance started slipping and their mood took a nosedive,” she shares. Together, they worked to identify the root causes: erratic sleep schedules, excessive screen use at night, and work-related stress. 

Dr Muthinji explains that treating sleep issues isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. “First, we need to determine whether the individual truly isn’t sleeping or if it’s a case of sleep misperception—where they believe they aren’t sleeping but are, albeit poorly,” he says. 

The next step is identifying the root cause of the problem. “If someone genuinely isn’t getting enough sleep, we need to pinpoint the source—whether it’s lifestyle factors, medical conditions, or disruptions to their sleep cycles,” he continues. 

Once the cause is clear, the treatment plan becomes tailored to the individual. “We examine whether they’re missing specific sleep cycles or struggling with multiple stages. From there, we can define modifications to address the issue and guide them toward healthier sleep patterns,” he adds, highlighting the importance of understanding the complexity of sleep-related challenges. 

Dr Muthinji cautions against the idea of using a single day to compensate for multiple nights of lost sleep—something many people plan to do on Christmas Day. “While it might seem like a good idea to ‘catch up’ by sleeping in, it doesn’t fully reverse the effects of chronic sleep deprivation,” he says. “Your body needs consistent, quality sleep to restore itself, not just physically but mentally. While one day of rest might reduce immediate fatigue, it won’t undo the cumulative toll of poor sleep.

As the festive season unfolds, Mwende says: “Give your body the gift of rest and quality sleep as part of your next year’s resolution.”

Stages of sleep

Sleep is divided into four stages. The first two stages, known as light sleep, help the body transition into deeper rest. Stage one is brief and prepares you for sleep, while stage two stabilises sleep patterns and supports memory consolidation. The third stage, deep sleep, is vital for physical recovery, immune system strengthening, and tissue repair. Finally, Rapid Eye Movement REM) sleep, where most dreaming occurs, is essential for emotional regulation, memory processing, and cognitive functioning. Together, these stages form a 90-120 minute cycle repeated throughout the night, ensuring a balance between physical and mental restoration.
Missing one or more stages can lead to significant issues. For example, skipping deep sleep may leave you physically drained, while a lack of REM sleep can cause mood instability and memory impairment. If sleep is limited or disrupted, the body may prioritise certain stages over others, but this is not sustainable. Consistently cycling through all stages is critical for optimal health and well-being, notes Dr Peter Muthinji.

[email protected]