As more Chinese people experience sleeping difficulties, the demand for sleep-monitoring smartwatches saw a 20% surge last year, making the country the most significant market.
According to the 2025 China Sleep Health Survey Report released by the China Sleep Big Data Center, 48.5 percent of adults aged 18 or above in China experience sleep-related difficulties, including issues such as frequent night-time urination, daytime fatigue, early awakening, and difficulty falling asleep.
Meanwhile, a recent report by research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that global shipments of wrist-worn devices dipped by 1.4 percent in 2024; China's market defied the trend, growing by nearly 20 percent to cement its position as the world's largest wearable device consumption market. Huawei, Xiaomi, and Apple are the market leaders.
"I usually stay up late, sometimes till 1:00 or 2:00. I sometimes even stay up all-night to play video games," said a resident.
The trend reflects a broader shift. Around 78 percent of Chinese respondents now use smartwatches or similar devices to track sleep patterns, as revealed by healthcare tech firm ResMed.
"In the past, I used to wake up with a start by the sound of my alarm. And I would feel very tired. The smart watch can wake me up with slight vibrations and wake me up slowly," said the resident.
This sleep watch wearer from Shanghai started using a smartwatch to monitor his sleep quality in 2022.
"At the beginning, I wore both my heart rate belt and the watch to monitor my sleep quality. And they turned out have the same results. But the watch had very detailed data for the durations of deep and light sleep," he said.
For innovation spearheading Huawei, it ranks first in the world with a year-on-year smartwatch shipment increase of 33.6 percent, with a nearly 35 percent market share in China, according to the IDC report.
"I bought a watch at the beginning of the year for my father. It can measure blood pressure and sleep quality, as my father has high blood pressure," said a customer in the store.
More Chinese use smartwatches to battle sleep difficulties
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
