Japanese firm unveils a vertical pod that lets you sleep while UPRIGHT (but it looks like a nightmare for claustrophobes!)
- ‘Giraffenap’ lets office employees sleep upright – like the long-necked mammal
- Research has already shown the benefits of letting employees nap at work
Experts have long argued that having a ‘power nap’ at work can increase alertness, boost productivity and even make you more creative.
Now, a Japanese firm has revealed a bizarre pod that makes it easier than ever before for workers to take a quick forty winks.
‘Giraffenap’ is a vertical pod that lets office employees sleep upright, much like the long-necked mammal.
About the size as a small public phone booth, it contains a series of platforms that support body weight while blocking out noise from the outside.
However, at just 8.4 feet high and four feet wide, claustrophobes might want to opt for the office sofa or resting their head on their desk the old fashioned way.
The firm offers two designs for its sleep pod – the futuristic ‘spacia’ (left) and the more rustic ‘forest’ (right)
READ MORE Why you SHOULD nap at work
Waves of tiredness at work have been considered a barrier to productivity (file photo)
Giraffenap is the creation of Koyoju Plywood Corporation in Hokkaido, Japan – a country where it’s already socially acceptable to fall asleep at your desk.
The firm said it is working ‘towards a society where everyone can easily take a nap’, and ultimately ‘improve business and healthcare’.
It’s unclear how much the contraption costs for companies to get it installed in their offices; MailOnline has contacted the firm for more information.
‘There are probably many people who have been unable to get rid of their physical fatigue and stress and have endured sleepiness and continued to work,’ the firm says.
‘Now, we are approaching an era where we break down such stereotypes.
‘Take a nap while standing and recover your mind and body in a short time.’
Koyoju Plywood Corporation offers two designs for its sleep pod – the futuristic ‘spacia’ and the more rustic ‘forest’.
From the outside, the vertical pod could be mistaken for a storage unit, a private space for conference calls or even some kind of indoor portaloo.
But inside is an elaborate chair set-up that allows a ‘four-point holding posture that does not require force anywhere’.
Inhabitants have to adopt an unconventional lightning-shaped posture where their knees are bent and their torso is tiled forwards slightly
The Japanese creators believe in the benefits of a ‘society where everyone can easily take a nap’
From the outside, the vertical pod could be mistaken for a storage unit, a private space for conference calls or even some kind of indoor portaloo
READ MORE A light snooze can be just as important for your health as deep sleep
Just a quick nap can help improve your alertness and cognitive performance according to a sleep expert
Inhabitants have to adopt an unconventional lightning-shaped posture where their knees are bent and their torso is tiled forwards slightly.
Their head and arms, meanwhile, are rested on a cushioned platform, much like how airplane passengers use their tray table when they need a kip on long-haul flights.
The company says that its pod is for people who are no more than 6.5 feet tall or weigh more than 220lbs (100kg), as they are unlikely to fit otherwise.
The pod is also equipped with its own fire extinguisher, smoke detector, ventilation fan, ceiling and floor LED lighting and even metal fittings to hang a jacket.
Despite the ventilation fan, the ceiling can be removed in case users want to breathe some natural air while they rest.
Sound is blocked so that the noise of a busy office cannot be heard, ensuring ‘you can calm your mind in a calm space’, the firm says.
It recommends a nap time of 20 minutes, as anything longer than 30 minutes ‘can affect your sleep at night because it’s easier to fall asleep’.
And it’s not only been designed for offices; according to Japan Today, the machine is also being installed in cafes, including Harajuku Nescafé in downtown Tokyo, where it should give commuters an alternative to coffee if they want to give themselves a boost.
About the size as a small public phone booth, it contains a series of platforms that support body weight while blocking out noise from the outside
It’s unclear if there’s a lock on the inside – MailOnline has contacted the makers of Giraffenap for more information
The Japanese have a word for the practice of sleeping at work (‘Inemuri’) and another for occupation-related sudden death (‘Karoshi’)
As pointed out by Koyoju Plywood Corporation, ‘numerous’ studies have shown that active naps have a positive impact on health productivity and creativity.
In 2017, researchers at the University of Hertfordshire found dozing for less than 30 minutes can improve our sense of well-being and boost performance.
In a sample of more than 1,000 people, those who took longer naps were less happy than those who did not nap at all, suggesting too much time asleep can ruin the effect.
A study published in June this year, meanwhile, found a link between daytime napping and larger total brain volume.
This could suggest ‘that napping regularly provides some protection against neurodegeneration by compensating for poor sleep’, said the authors.
The firm says: ‘Take a nap while standing and recover your mind and body in a short time. Improve your business and healthcare with giraffenap’
And a 2021 study found a regular afternoon nap of just five minutes can aid cognitive benefits such as memory consolidation and ‘preparation for subsequent learning’.
Cultures around the world are still slow to embrace workplace napping, although Japan is ahead of the curve as sleeping at one’s desk is already seen as socially acceptable.
The Japanese have a word for the practice of sleeping at work (‘Inemuri’) and another for occupation-related sudden death (‘Karoshi’).
Common causes of Karoshi include heart attacks and strokes brought on by stress as well as malnourishment and suicide.
The dream job! Why it’s socially acceptable to fall asleep in Japan – while you’re AT WORK
Want a dream job? Then perhaps you might like to consider moving to Japan – because it’s a country where falling asleep at work is entirely acceptable.
And the Japanese even have a term for it – ‘inemuri’, which means ‘present while sleeping’.
The nodding-off-on-the-job culture came about partly because of the long hours Japanese workers endure and the fact that many only average around six hours’ sleep a night.
Falling asleep in the office in Japan started in earnest during the country’s post-war economic boom, when people were working flat-out to rebuild the country.
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