Too many social engagements keep them excited for at least one extra hour after the event, according to Xu Jian, a professor at Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital's insomnia department.

"They were too tired to go to sleep but now they're too excited to drop off," said Xu, adding that those suffering from insomnia are stressed when it gets late due to the fear of not being able to sleep, which only worsens the situation.

Another report by the Chinese Medical Doctors Association, which polled about 260,000 white-collar workers aged between 20 and 45 in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen through a combination of questionnaires and psychological checkups, found almost 80 percent of Chinese have poor quality sleep and 70 percent have a lackluster sex life.

Only 23 percent said they have good sleep quality, while the rest are afflicted by different sleep problems related to high blood pressure.

Ke Bo, vice-director of the Shenzhen Women and Children Psychological Health Service Center, who also runs the music therapy center, believes music therapy is a better alternative to insomnia than using a drug.

"People are usually listening to music consciously no matter if they focus on the music itself or regard it as background music," said Ke, who is also a member of the World Federation of Music Therapy, an international non-profit organization based in the United States.

"Its greater effects on one's physical and mental states, however, happen subconsciously," Ke said.

Contact the writers at zhengjingran@chinadaily.com.cn and shiyingying@chinadaily.com.cn

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