Innovative solutions appeal to younger buyers

Cao Ying got into bed for the fifth time in the same night after drinking a whole bottle of "sleep water" she bought online in an attempt to regulate her sleep patterns. She put on her headphones and turned on a white noise app to help relax, only to find her brain focusing on the day's events.

The 29-year-old Beijing-based office worker has had problems sleeping for almost six months. "Every time there's a new product on the market, I want to try it to see if it helps to improve my sleep quality. I'm planning to buy a pillow that can analyze my sleep cycles."

Cao is not alone among people of her age. A 2018 report by online medical consulting service provider DXY and the research institute under Health News revealed that 84 percent of people born in the 1990s have problems sleeping, the highest among all age groups.