Sleep as a status symbol

The early 2000s was all about two things: Work hard, party harder.

The rise of hustle culture, pulling all-nighters at work as a badge of honour, and being in the club on weekends as a symbol of clout meant burning the candle at both ends. Sleep was for the weak—or at least, for those who weren’t serious about “making it big,” or making it at all. But fast-forward to today, and the ultrarich have flipped the script.

We’re now in the age of curated rest. 

Tech moguls, biohackers, and wellness gurus are treating sleep as the new frontier of self-improvement. Jeff Bezos swears by his eight hours. And high performers measure their deep sleep percentages like they’re tracking freaking stock portfolios.

In a world that constantly eats away at our time and attention, achieving perfect sleep has become a flex in its own right. It's a sign you’ve mastered not just your schedule, but your biology.

Honk-shoo-honk-shoo stocks are UP. And boy, is the sleep economy booming, fuelled by an insatiable demand for optimisation. Wearables like Oura Rings and WHOOP bands promise hyper-personalised insights into REM cycles. Eight Sleep’s cooling mattress adjusts temperature in real-time to keep your body in peak sleep conditions.

There are blackout curtains that sync with circadian rhythms and white noise machines calibrated for brainwave activity. And, of course, the endless parade of supplements, from magnesium blends to melatonin-infused elixirs.

But none of this comes cheap. True sleep optimisation is an expensive pursuit, and that’s the point.

It’s exclusive and elitist. Just like a private chef or a personal trainer, investing in sleep tech signals that you have the resources to perfect something most people struggle to get enough of. The ability to sleep well has become the ultimate marker of having arrived—not because you have nothing to do, but because you have full control over how you do it.

And of course, where there’s a status play, there’s a branding opportunity.

Luxury brands are already capitalising on sleep as the next wellness frontier. By weaving it into their narratives, they're reinforcing a sense of exclusivity and self-care.

High-end hotels now sell "sleep experiences" featuring temperature-controlled rooms and custom aromatherapy blends. Designer silk pillowcases, infused with skincare benefits, have become must-haves for the beauty-conscious elite. Even fashion brands are getting in on the game. Cashmere loungewear and $400 pajama sets are marketed as essential elements of a "well-rested" lifestyle.

Then there’s the supplement industry. Brands like Moon Juice, Goop, and even mainstream players are churning out "sleep optimisation" formulas packed with adaptogens and nootropics. The line between wellness and luxury has never been blurrier.

For brands looking to build luxury associations, sleep presents a massive opportunity.

How? By positioning sleep not as a necessity, but as an experience—something to be curated, refined, and, of course, elevated. Consider:

• Premium sleepwear & accessories. Think high-end pajamas, silk eye masks, and temperature-regulating bedding.

• Sleep-first hotel & spa experiences. Think full-scale sleep programs, complete with biohacked environments and personalised rest rituals.

• High-end sleep tech collabs. Think partnering with sleep tech brands to integrate exclusive features, whether in wearables, sound machines, or temperature-controlled environments.

• Wellness-infused sleep products. Think "sleep-enhancing" skincare, aromatherapy, and ingestibles that align with a high-performance lifestyle.

The ability to optimise one’s sleep is a reflection of power, wealth, and autonomy. And for brands, tapping into the aspirational aspect of sleep is how you sell the idea of a well-curated life.

-Sophie, Writer