Asian Paints’ Trend Forecast for 2023 is prioritising good-quality sleep

Covidsomnia

We had a system for work – established and fine-tuned over decades – till we no longer had it. As things got upended in 2020 and our entire work-life structure reversed, boundaries between personal and professional lives blurred, upsetting everything else in the balance. Demands of stayat-home families and coping with the pandemic meant people worked late into the night, for many it was the only quiet time of the day. But two years later people are recognizing the toll of disrupted timings coupled with pandemic-related anxiety, with a lot more people reporting they had more trouble sleeping than before.

Conversations Around Sleep

There has been a growing body of work on the importance of sleep and sleep quality in the past two decades, entering the mainstream in the past two years as health and wellbeing took centre stage. We are now questioning productivity culture and striving for a more well-rounded day, no longer glorifying celebrities who say they thrive on four-hour sleep days. A growing body of work is also now linking chronic sleeplessness with age related conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, diabetes and obesity.

Sleep Tech

Everyone knows a lot more about their daily health than they did before, thanks in part to wearable tech that puts all kinds of metrics on our fingertips, from our oxygen saturation to heart health and duration and quality of our sleep. It’s not just these ubiquitous bands that have made health the final frontier of innovation, better sleep is now backed by a whole host of products that are aimed at helping us rest more peacefully. Weighted and temperaturecontrolled blankets, ASMR machines, smart lights that simulate sunsets and sunrises, humidity and air quality machines and even coffee alarm clocks.

Slow Living

We may be more connected than ever before, but we’re also taking back control of our time, living more considered, deliberated lives that are not always “on”. Slower lives have meant spending our hours more consciously and meaningfully, reconnecting with things that are good for our health. This has reflected in our personal spaces by turning our homes into sanctuaries that offer escape and calm, in turn increasing our adoption of products and goods that are local, sustainable, organic and whole.

A Sense of Calm Stillness

Light, soft colours that are evocative of a morning glow and comforting cocoons, the palette is curated for a sense of calm and stillness with white, beige and soft greys taking centre stage. The colours are marked by a translucent quality that gives a sense of being able to breathe beyond the boundaries of the room and connecting back with ourselves at the end of the day.

Hard Materials

These natural materials are borrowed heavily from indigenous practices and vernacular architecture to create spaces that are cocooning with a nostalgic appeal. The materials are specially selected for their properties of regulating temperature to create thermal comfort, ventilation, bio-climatic architecture and porosity representing the depth of knowledge across the country for homes that are naturally conducive to better sleep.

Soft Materials

Ataractic and medicinal, these are deliberate and intentional choices that find their way into homes for their breathability, local relevance and restorative properties. Regaining popularity for their gentle and tranquil characteristics, the materials form a rich tapestry incorporating diverse weaving techniques, soothing herbs and sustainable production.