National legislators and political advisers are gathering in Beijing for the two sessions, the annual meetings of China's top legislative and political advisory bodies.

Chen Wei, a deputy to the National People's Congress and vice-chairman of the Quzhou Municipal Committee of the Jiusan Society, has called for systematic social governance to address the issue of sleep deficiency caused by "abnormal late-night activities" and proposed including improving sleep health as part of national initiatives.

Chen emphasized the issue of "abnormal late-night activities", defined as non-essential, non-emergency-related late nights such as staying up for entertainment, excessive phone use, unregulated overtime, and students overburdened by academics.

She also emphasized special care for those in essential night-shift roles, such as healthcare and public safety, through increased benefits and mandatory rest.

"Influenced by lifestyle changes, digital entertainment, work stress, and academic pressure, sleep deprivation and irregular schedules are prevalent among Chinese residents," she said.

The China Sleep Research Society's "2025 China Sleep Health White Paper" reports that a quarter of adults sleep less than six hours nightly, with over half falling asleep after midnight.

Chen criticized digital platforms for exacerbating this issue through algorithms that encourage excessive use, particularly affecting youth. She advocated for public education on sleep health and regulatory measures to curb algorithm-driven late-night use.

Chen urged platforms to take responsibility for protecting minors and young adults from sleep disruption, with government departments enforcing content regulations to reduce "passive late nights".