Hundreds of participants gathered at a Han River park in Seoul for the city government's third [1] annual power nap contest.
The event serves as a public campaign to address South Korea's chronic sleep deprivation crisis and encourage citizens to adopt healthier sleep habits [2].
Organizers said the competition was used to draw attention to the nation's growing sleep issues [3]. The event featured participants attempting to fall asleep in a public setting, with heart-rate monitoring used to determine the winners [4].
A man in his 80s [5] won the competition. The winner's age highlights the diverse demographic affected by the pressures of the country's fast-paced lifestyle, a factor often cited as a primary cause of sleep loss.
The contest is part of a broader effort by the Seoul city government to spotlight how lack of rest impacts public health [2]. By turning a medical and social crisis into a public event, officials said they aim to normalize the act of resting during the day to improve overall productivity, and well-being [3].
Participants arrived in various costumes and gear to facilitate their nap, turning the riverbank into a temporary dormitory [4]. This visual spectacle was intended to contrast the stillness of sleep with the high-energy environment of the capital city.
“The event serves as a public campaign to address South Korea's chronic sleep deprivation crisis.”
The use of a public competition to address sleep deprivation reflects a strategic shift in public health communication in South Korea. By gamifying rest, the Seoul government is attempting to combat a cultural stigma associated with napping during work or school hours, acknowledging that chronic insomnia and sleep loss are systemic issues rather than individual failures.
