Ready, set, snooze: Sleep-deprived Japanese compete for best-rested
TOKYO: In diligent, exhausted Japan, self-described elite “competitive sleepers” vied to lie down, relax and nap the fastest and deepest in a contest organised by a mattress company.
Tokyo hosted a unique sleep competition called Matt Race, organized by mattress company Koala Sleep Japan. In this event, dozens of participants, known as elite competitive sleepers, were fitted with sleep tracking devices to compete for the top prize of over two million yen (US$14,000). The contest aimed to raise awareness about sleep deprivation, a prevalent issue in Japan.
Riichiro Nakama, creative director at Koala Sleep Japan, explained that the event could bring people together and increase interest in sleep. According to OECD data from 2021, Japanese people slept an average of seven hours and 24 minutes a day, the least among OECD nations, due to long working and commuting hours, and a busy nightlife economy.
The competition lasted just a few minutes, with the winner determined by how quickly and soundly they slept. Contest winner Suimii, whose real name was not disclosed, expressed plans to use the prize money for moving costs and to purchase a luxurious bed.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
