The latest way to get a good night’s sleep in Japan is, apparently, by drinking water made by Coca Cola.
A lot has been written about Japanese work culture, which encourages long hours, late nights, and bizarre sleeping positions on the train. With the nation’s residents in dire need of some much-needed shut-eye, it comes as little surprise that soft drink conglomerate Coca Cola Japan is now bottling the formula for a good night’s sleep with a new drink called “Glaceau Sleep Water”.
▼ According to the company, the drink is perfect for people who can’t get to sleep at night or for those who experience interrupted sleep. It’s also recommended for people who still feel tired after a full night’s slumber.
The peach-flavoured water is a first for the company, as it’s been enriched with a special ingredient considered important for ensuring a restful night’s sleep: L-Theanine. This amino acid, found naturally in tea, has been shown to decrease anxiety and stress levels, while also aiding relaxation and improving sleep. By increasing sleep quality, even people who can’t fit in eight hours of shut-eye are said to feel more revived the following day.
Unlike cola or tea, this new product contains no caffeine. The water is light and easy to drink before bed, with its maker recommending it be consumed during the evening while relaxing after work, or after one’s nightly bath, which is commonplace in Japan.
Aimed at the sleep-deprived 20- to 40-year-old market, the new drink comes with a brand new marketing campaign, which features three “sleep agents” who aim to support healthy slumber with some tips for getting a good night’s rest. There’s the aromatic candle-lighting agent, who suggests unwinding before bed with some relaxing aromatherapy, the lullaby-singing lady, who recommends listening to some relaxing music before slipping between the sheets, and the man with the muscle-pumping “pillow-arm”, who reminds you to use a proper pillow for resting your head.
▼ The slow-moving pace and restful images in the commercial are enough to send you off to the land of zzz.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcSdHi6yWCY
But does it really work? We were curious to find out if there’s any truth to all the grand claims being made about the new beverage, so we stopped by our local conbini to pick up a bottle for ourselves. We’ll let you know just how effective the drink actually is once we’ve slipped into our PJs…
Source, images: Coca Cola Japan
Additional images © RocketNews24