{
  "id": 12396744,
  "title": "Ready, set, snooze: Sleep-deprived Japanese compete for best-rested",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/ready-set-snooze-sleep-deprived-japanese-compete-for-best-rested-12396744",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-06T13:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2026/10/06/ready-set-snooze-sleep-deprived-japanese-compete-for-best-rested/237900"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tokyo, October 6 — In the diligent, exhausted nation of Japan, \"competitive sleepers\" gathered for a mattress company's contest to determine who could sleep the fastest and deepest. Dubbed \"Matt Race\", the competition saw dozens of participants equipped with sleep tracking devices as they slumbered on plush mattresses for up to 90 minutes, with the winning prize exceeding ¥2,000,000 (RM51,736). Riichiro Nakama, creative director at Koala Sleep Japan, the event's organizer, noted that Japan is often referred to as a country plagued by sleep deprivation and its residents are known for their diligence. The unusual Tokyo contest aimed to raise awareness about the importance of sleep and bring people together. OECD data revealed that in 2021, Japanese people slept an average of seven hours and 24 minutes per day, the least among all OECD nations, due to long working and commuting hours, as well as a vibrant nightlife economy. Contest participant Chisato Honda, 32, expressed that the competition was brief and wished he could have slept longer. The winner, known only as Suimii, said he would use the prize money for moving costs and hoped to purchase a luxurious bed.",
  "summary": "TOKYO, Oct 6 — In diligent, exhausted Japan, self-described elite “competitive sleepers” vied to lie d...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}