Sleep pod

Last updated
Capsule In Akihabara Capsules - Capsule In Akihabara.jpg
Capsule In Akihabara

A sleep pod, also known as nap pod, napping pod, or nap capsule, is a special type of structure or chair that allows people to nap. Users use the pods to take private sleep breaks, often aided by technology and ambient features. Nap pods have emerged in corporate environments, hospitals, universities, airports and other public places. Their supposed efficacy is rooted in research that suggests that 20-minute naps could reduce signs of fatigue, boost energy levels, improve focus, boost productivity, improve mood, enhance learning, reduce stress and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. [1]

Contents

Origins

Technological development of nap pods emerges from growing awareness of the health benefits of sleep and napping including productivity and cognitive function. The original sleep pod was designed by Kisho Kurokawa in 1979, in his design for the Capsule Inn Osaka. [2]

A woman having a nap in a napping pod, in the cafe Nappuccino in Barcelona, Spain Nappuccino cafe napping pods Barcelona.jpg
A woman having a nap in a napping pod, in the café Nappuccino in Barcelona, Spain

Workplace sleep culture

Existing products and designs are being used particularly for professionals and commuters. By devising specialised furniture that encourages short, structured naps during the day, specialists like Dr James B Mass, who coined the term ‘power nap’, [3] writes of his intention to alter existing workplace culture in the West to improve focus and energy. This aligns with cultural practices such as Siesta in Spain, a mid afternoon break where work and activity is halted. The Japanese practice of Inemuri, sleeping at work, is culturally viewed as proof of dedication to the point of exhaustion, [4] and has also influenced the use of nap pods around the world.

Push for a workplace cultural shift that emphasises the necessity of sleep and rest has been heralded by Arianna Huffington. Her book The Sleep Revolution includes rhetoric that encourages normalisation for the need for rest in high stress work environments, and was followed by the launch of Thrive Global, an origination which provides wellness training to corporations including advice to encourage employees taking appropriate sleep breaks when needed. Huffington writes "That idea that sleep is somehow a sign of weakness and that burnout and sleep deprivation are macho signs of strength is particularly destructive, So changing the way we talk about sleep is an important part of the culture shift." [5] [ page needed ]

Other leading scientists encouraging a revision of existing cultural understandings of exhaustion include Matthew Walker, neuroscientist and author of Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams, who labeled humanity as in “the midst of a global sleep loss pandemic”. He has publicly endorsed nap pods in offices “even if they just signal some degree of recognition of sleep’s importance in the workplace by people in senior positions.” [6]

Sleep specialist and psychiatrist Rita Aoud told The Guardian, in light of existing data that “Research shows that a nap of about 20 minutes in the afternoon has a positive effect on attention, vigilance, mood and alertness. [7]

The actions of major corporations in establishing nap pod technology in their workplaces indicates that research and expert advice on the importance of sleep and the effectiveness of day time napping is influencing company culture.

Workplaces have been criticised for installing nap pods. Diana Bradley commented in one article that in offering technology such as these as perks for employees, companies can ignore more fundamental support in the form of management and policy. [8]

References in science fiction

Nap pods are a prevalent technology in science fiction books, movies and television, often fitted with futuristic sleep technology. [9]

Cryosleep pods, which hold bodies frozen in suspended animation appear in the films Alien , Avatar , 2001: a Space Odyssey , Passengers , and Event Horizon . In these instances compact bed ‘pods’ similar in construction to existing nap-pod designs are depicted, storing sleeping bodies during long term space travel.

The sleep pods in the 1979 film Alien are white capsules in clusters of eight, with glass shields across the top. The crew members inside are in suspended animation, unconscious until ‘activated’, un-aged and able to join the workforce. Suspended animation in pods is also seen in the space adventure TV series Lost in Space , Star Trek , and Futurama . In a 2015 Doctor Who episode, Sleep No More , the scientists and crew of a space lab forgo normal sleep patterns by using ‘Morpheus’ sleep pods, that can compress months of sleep into a two minute nap. Confined within the pods, a human’s brain activity is altered to maximise the productivity on board a ship.

Notable locations

Nap pod technology has been implemented and installed in a number of notable public and private spaces.

They are available at airports for travellers to use between and before flights at JFK airport, Atlanta Airport, Berlin Airport, Munich Airport, Dubai Airport, and Istanbul Airport. [10] [11]

Tech companies Google, Samsung and Facebook have installed nap pods across their headquarters and offices for employee use. Nike's headquarters in Portland, Oregon, has rooms on site in which employees can sleep or meditate. Ben & Jerry's has had a nap room at its headquarters since 2010.

Universities including King's College London, Sydney University, Western Sydney University, The University of Miami, Wesleyan University, Stanford University and Washington State University have nap pods in campus libraries and student centers.

The Sydney Swans AFL team installed two 'sleep chambers' for players to use between training and game sessions at the SCG Stadium.

In the UK, the NHS has installed sleep pods in public hospitals for doctors, nurses and staff. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AirPort</span> Discontinued line of products by Apple Inc.

AirPort is a discontinued line of wireless routers and network cards developed by Apple Inc. using Wi-Fi protocols. In Japan, the line of products was marketed under the brand AirMac due to previous registration by I-O Data.

A generation gap or generational gap is a difference of opinions and outlooks between one generation and another. These differences may relate to beliefs, politics, language, work, demographics and values. The differences between generations can cause misunderstandings, but it is possible for generations to overcome their differences and maintain functional relationships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remote work</span> Employees working from any location

Remote work is the practice of working at or from one's home or another space rather than from an office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arianna Huffington</span> Greek-American author and columnist (born 1950)

Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington is a Greek American author, syndicated columnist and businesswoman. She is a co-founder of The Huffington Post, the founder and CEO of Thrive Global, and the author of fifteen books. She has been named to Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people and the Forbes Most Powerful Women list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cubicle</span> Office furniture meant to allow for concentration

A cubicle is a partially enclosed office workspace that is separated from neighboring workspaces by partitions that are usually 5–6 feet (1.5–1.8 m) tall. Its purpose is to isolate office workers and managers from the sights and noises of an open workspace so that they may concentrate with fewer distractions. Cubicles are composed of modular elements such as walls, work surfaces, overhead bins, drawers, and shelving, which can be configured depending on the user's needs. Installation is generally performed by trained personnel, although some cubicles allow configuration changes to be performed by users without specific training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Productivity</span> Average measure of the efficiency of production

Productivity is the efficiency of production of goods or services expressed by some measure. Measurements of productivity are often expressed as a ratio of an aggregate output to a single input or an aggregate input used in a production process, i.e. output per unit of input, typically over a specific period of time. The most common example is the (aggregate) labour productivity measure, one example of which is GDP per worker. There are many different definitions of productivity and the choice among them depends on the purpose of the productivity measurement and data availability. The key source of difference between various productivity measures is also usually related to how the outputs and the inputs are aggregated to obtain such a ratio-type measure of productivity.

Ergophobia is described as an extreme and debilitating fear associated with work, a fear of finding or losing employment, or fear of specific tasks in the workplace. The term ergophobia comes from the Greek "ergon" (work) and "phobos" (fear).

Polyphasic sleep is the practice of sleeping during multiple periods over the course of 24 hours, in contrast to monophasic sleep, which is one period of sleep within 24 hours. Biphasicsleep refers to two periods, while polyphasic usually means more than two. Segmented sleep and divided sleep may refer to polyphasic or biphasic sleep, but may also refer to interrupted sleep, where the sleep has one or several shorter periods of wakefulness, as was the norm for night sleep in pre-industrial societies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power nap</span> Short sleep

A power nap or cat nap is a short sleep that terminates before deep sleep. A power nap is intended to quickly revitalize the sleeper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee service</span>

Coffee service refers to the many and various styles in which coffee is made available to people, such as in restaurants and hotels. In particular, it sometimes refers to the set of dishes and vessels utilized to serve and consume coffee, akin to the notion of a tea service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Workforce productivity</span> Concept in economics

Workforce productivity is the amount of goods and services that a group of workers produce in a given amount of time. It is one of several types of productivity that economists measure. Workforce productivity, often referred to as labor productivity, is a measure for an organisation or company, a process, an industry, or a country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Employee engagement</span> Relationship between an organization and its employees

Employee engagement is a fundamental concept in the effort to understand and describe, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the nature of the relationship between an organization and its employees. An "engaged employee" is defined as one who is fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about their work and so takes positive action to further the organization's reputation and interests. An engaged employee has a positive attitude towards the organization and its values. In contrast, a disengaged employee may range from someone doing the bare minimum at work, up to an employee who is actively damaging the company's work output and reputation.

Workplace wellness, also known as corporate wellbeing outside the United States, is a broad term used to describe activities, programs, and/or organizational policies designed to support healthy behavior in the workplace. This often involves health education, medical screenings, weight management programs, and onsite fitness programs or facilities. It can also include flex-time for exercise, providing onsite kitchen and eating areas, offering healthy food options in vending machines, holding "walk and talk" meetings, and offering financial and other incentives for participation.

A virtual workplace is a work environment where employees can perform their duties remotely, using technology such as laptops, smartphones, and video conferencing tools. A virtual workplace is not located in any one physical space. It is usually a network of several workplaces technologically connected without regard to geographic boundaries. Employees are thus able to interact in a collaborative working environment regardless of where they are located. A virtual workplace integrates hardware, people, and online processes.

Sara C. Mednick is a sleep researcher at the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on the relationship between napping and performance. She is the author of several papers and a mass market book, Take a Nap! Change Your Life. She graduated with her PhD in psychology from Harvard University studying under Ken Nakayama and Robert Stickgold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleeping while on duty</span> Falling asleep while working

Sleeping while on duty or sleeping on the job – falling asleep while one is not supposed to – is considered gross misconduct and grounds for disciplinary action, including termination of employment, in some occupations. Recently however, there has been a movement in support of sleeping, or napping at work, with scientific studies highlighting health and productivity benefits, and over 6% of employers in some countries providing facilities to do so. In some types of work, such as firefighting or live-in caregiving, sleeping at least part of the shift may be an expected part of paid work time. While some employees who sleep while on duty in violation do so intentionally and hope not to get caught, others intend in good faith to stay awake, and accidentally doze.

Workplace relationships are unique interpersonal relationships with important implications for the individuals in those relationships, and the organizations in which the relationships exist and develop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyperloop</span> Proposed mode of passenger and freight transportation

Hyperloop is a proposed high-speed transportation system for both passengers and freight. The concept was published by Elon Musk in a 2013 white paper, where the hyperloop was described as a transportation system using capsules supported by an air-bearing surface within a low-pressure tube. Hyperloop systems have three essential elements: tubes, pods, and terminals. The tube is a large, sealed low-pressure system. The pod is a coach at atmospheric pressure that experiences low air resistance or friction inside the tube using magnetic propulsion. The terminal handles pod arrivals and departures. The hyperloop, in the form proposed by Musk, differs from traditional vactrains by relying on residual air pressure inside the tube to provide lift from aerofoils and propulsion by fans; however, many subsequent variants using the name "hyperloop" have remained relatively close to the core principles of vactrains.

Activity-based working (ABW) is an organizational strategic framework that recognizes that people often perform a variety of activities in their day-to-day work, and therefore need a variety of work settings supported by the right technology and culture to carry out these activities effectively. Based on activity, individuals, teams, and the organization are empowered to achieve their full potential by developing a culture of connection, inspiration, accountability, and trust. On a personal level, ABW also enables each person to organize their work activities in a way that best suits what and with whom they are trying to accomplish, promoting productivity and engagement at work. Although not normally implemented as a cost-saving business strategy, it can produce efficiencies and cost savings through more effective collaboration and team work. Inspiring spaces that evolve from an activity-based approach are designed to create opportunities for a variety of workplace activities, ranging from intense focused work to collaboration, as well as areas for meetings, whether formal or impromptu.

Thrive Global is an American company that provides behavior change technology. It was founded by Arianna Huffington in August 2016. The company is based in New York City.

References

  1. "Napping Benefits backed up by Science".
  2. Kaven, W (April 1992). "Japan's hotel industry: An overview". The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly. 33 (2): 26–32. doi:10.1016/0010-8804(92)90079-k. ISSN   0010-8804.
  3. James, Mass (1999). Power Sleep. New York: Quill/Harper Collins.
  4. Steger, Brigitte (September 2006). "Sleeping through Class to Success" (PDF). Time & Society. 15 (2–3): 197–214. doi:10.1177/0961463x06066952. ISSN   0961-463X. S2CID   143698917.
  5. Huffington, Arianna (2017). The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time. Random House. ISBN   9780753551899. OCLC   957022651.
  6. Walker, M. Why We Sleep. Scribner.
  7. Cassidy, Anne (4 December 2017). "Clocking off: the companies introducing nap time to the workplace". The Guardian.
  8. Bradley, Diana (2014). "Employee engagement, not benefits or luxury perks, crucial to staff retention". PRweek.
  9. Trenholm, Richard. "Dreams of the future: How sci-fi sees sleep". CNET. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  10. "Sleeping Pods". Istanbul Airport Hotel. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  11. Kip, Nathan (27 June 2024). "Istanbul Airport's iGA Sleep Pods & YotelAir". Airport Sleep Guides.
  12. "Sleep pods for night staff". Nursing Standard. 35 (3): 7. 2020-03-04. doi:10.7748/ns.35.3.7.s6. ISSN   0029-6570. S2CID   242798301.