Nighttime Gets Hotter, Indonesian People Lose Most Sleep in Southeast Asia

Nighttime temperatures in Indonesia are rising due to climate change, causing residents to lose an average of 84 hours of sleep per year. This sleep deprivation, with about 7 hours directly linked to human-induced climate change, poses a threat to public health and productivity.

A report by Climate Central, titled "Climate Change Is Costing People Sleep," reveals that globally, individuals are losing nearly 56 hours of sleep annually due to elevated nighttime temperatures between 2020 and 2025. Of this, approximately six hours are directly attributable to warming caused by climate change. However, the situation in Indonesia is considerably worse.

Residents in six major Indonesian cities are losing more sleep than the global average. Malang residents lose 59 hours per year, Bandung 61 hours, Medan 78 hours, Semarang 83 hours, Jakarta 84 hours, and Surabaya a staggering 91 hours. This places Indonesia among the countries with the highest sleep loss rates in Southeast Asia.

Courtney Howard, President-Elect of the Canadian Association of Medical Associations and an emergency physician, explained that adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night for optimal health. Rising nighttime temperatures disrupt sleep, disproportionately affecting low-income populations, the elderly, and women. Insufficient sleep is linked to weakened immunity, impaired performance, increased errors, pain, accidents, weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and a higher risk of mortality.

The sleep loss in Indonesia is exacerbated by the urban heat island effect, which intensifies nighttime temperatures, particularly in large cities like Jakarta, Surabaya, and Medan. High population density and limited green spaces worsen heat accumulation. While air conditioning can offer relief, access to cooling is unevenly distributed and often tied to income, with ownership rates in Indonesia significantly lower than the global average, especially among low-income households.

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Sleep less than 7 hours per night is associated with impaired immune function and performance, as well as increased errors, pain, and accidents. If sleep deprivation continues regularly, it is associated with weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk of death.