Coinciding with the World Sleep Day on March 14th, 2025, Heartfulness and TiE Global have released a survey highlighting the growing sleep crisis among entrepreneurs. Surveying 260 respondents (200+ entrepreneurs, start-up founders and 50+ tech professionals) across five major Indian cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Pune—the findings reveal that 55% of startup founders and business leaders struggle with sleep. The relentless demands of long hours, high-pressure decision-making, and financial uncertainties are driving stress and burnout, impacting productivity and overall well-being.

The effects of sleep deprivation extend far beyond just feeling tired. Over 80% of respondents surveyed admitted that poor sleep significantly impacts their job performance, concentration, and workplace relationships. For entrepreneurs, however, the consequences are even more severe, with sleep deprivation impairing critical business functions like decision-making, creativity, and resilience—traits essential to business success. Many entrepreneurs also reported frequent sleep disturbances, with 19% rating their sleep quality as “poor” or “very poor.” Additionally, more than 26% of professionals are getting less than six hours of sleep per night, a problem that is even more pronounced among entrepreneurs.

Stress and anxiety have been identified as the leading causes of sleep difficulties, surpassing even the impact of screen exposure before bedtime. Half of the respondents reported moderate to elevated levels of stress and anxiety, with business pressures, funding challenges, and team management responsibilities contributing to elevated stress levels that make it difficult for entrepreneurs to unwind and achieve quality rest.

Rev. Daaji – Guide of Heartfulness & President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, emphasized the profound nature of sleep, stating, “Sleep is not merely rest but a sacred journey—an opportunity for the mind, body, and soul to rejuvenate. It is during sleep that the burdens of the ego loosen, allowing us to align with a deeper consciousness. Entrepreneurs who cultivate healthy sleep practices will discover a profound shift—not only in their well-being but in their ability to lead with wisdom, creativity, and balance. In this state of deep rest, intuition strengthens, clarity emerges, and the mind awakens to greater possibilities”

Murali Bukkapatnam, Chair of the TiE Global Board of Trustees, also shared his thoughts: “Entrepreneurs and startup founders often sacrifice sleep in their pursuit of success, but this survey highlights the tangible impact of sleep deprivation on productivity, decision-making, and overall performance. TiE Global is excited to partner with Heartfulness in offering these workshops to our chapters across the globe. Together, we are committed to providing resources that support entrepreneurs in achieving a healthier work-life balance, which is key to sustainable success.”

TiE Global & Heartfulness introduce sleep wellness workshops to help entrepreneurs restore balance and well-being.

As an intervention, TiE Global, in conjunction with Heartfulness, will now host multiple Sleep Workshops for its chapter members across the globe, both virtually and in person. To kickstart the initiative, the first workshop will be held on March 21, 2025, at 8:30 PM (IST) virtually, followed by workshops at all TiE conventions worldwide throughout 2025. These sessions will introduce practical techniques, meditation practices, and holistic well-being strategies designed to reduce stress and improve sleep quality. The initiative underscores the urgent need for professionals, especially entrepreneurs, to prioritize their sleep and mental health as part of a balanced and sustainable work-life approach.

Recent research underscores the critical impact of sleep deprivation on entrepreneurs' cognitive functions and overall business performance. Recent studies reveal that business executives experience a 5% to 10% decrease in executive function for every 45 minutes of sleep debt accrued. Additionally, findings from the Entrepreneur & Innovation Exchange indicate that inadequate sleep diminishes creativity, opportunity recognition, and social skills, further jeopardizing business performance. These insights emphasize the necessity for entrepreneurs to prioritize adequate sleep to maintain optimal health and business success.

Dr. Jayaram Thimmapuram, an academic hospitalist in internal medicine at WellSpan York Hospital and a Heartfulness practitioner, has extensively studied the effects of Heartfulness meditation on reducing stress and improving sleep. He emphasized the significance of addressing sleep-related challenges: “Stress is a widespread issue across all sections of society. Prior research on Heartfulness practices has demonstrated their effectiveness in managing stress, reducing burnout, and improving overall well-being. This survey reaffirms that stress and anxiety are significantly impacting sleep quality, and these techniques offer a proven solution to help professionals and entrepreneurs regain control of their mental and physical health.”

The findings of this survey highlight the importance of sleep awareness, especially for those in high-pressure professions. Heartfulness and TiE Global urge entrepreneurs and professionals to adopt better sleep hygiene practices, minimize digital screen exposure before bedtime, and explore meditation techniques as essential tools for improving overall well-being.

About Heartfulness:

Heartfulness offers a simple set of meditative practices and lifestyle changes, first developed at the turn of the twentieth century and formalized into teaching through the Shri Ram Chandra Mission in 1945 in India with a goal to bring peace, happiness, and wisdom to one heart at a time. These practices are a modern form of Yoga designed to support contentment, inner calm, and stillness, compassion, courage, and clarity of thought, as the first step towards a purposeful life. They are simple and easily adopted and are appropriate for people from all walks of life, cultures, religious beliefs, and economic situations, who are over the age of fifteen. Ongoing training in Heartfulness practices continues at thousands of schools and colleges, and over 100,000 professionals are meditating in corporations, non-governmental, and government bodies worldwide. More than 5,000 Heartfulness Centers are supported by thousands of certified volunteer trainers and millions of practitioners in 160 countries.

About TiE Global:

Founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley, TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship across industries and at all stages of the entrepreneurial lifecycle. With over 10,000 members across sixty-two cities in sixteen countries, TiE empowers startups and entrepreneurs through mentoring, networking, education, funding, and incubation.