Getting enough sleep is important for good health, but commenters aren’t sure this is the best way to do it.

When you think about it, it’s kind of strange how nap time is common at preschools, but then immediately disappears from kids’ curriculums once they reach elementary school. So when you hear that an elementary school in Japan has set up a space for kids to catch some Zs in, it might sound like an encouraging sign that the administrators are showing proper concern for their pupils’ well-being.

However, this might not seem like such a great idea when you see where the kids are supposed to sleep.

As shown in the video, the school (whose name has not been publicly announced) has installed what the report calls a tachine, or “stand and sleep,” box. That’s an accurate description, as the phone booth-sized compartment is just big enough for a single occupant to brace themselves against the pads for their head, hindquarters, and shins, an array that’s meant to keep you upright even after you drift off into sleep and aren’t consciously standing anymore.

If the setup looks familiar, you might be recalling the previous times we looked at the design. Created by Hokkaido Prefecture-based Koyoju Plywood Corporation, which originally called them “nap boxes,” they were initially introduced as office equipment for workers who wanted a place to nap. Koyoju later established the Giraffenap brand for their invention, referencing how giraffes sleep standing up in short bursts, and even partnered with Nescafe for a limited-time nap pod cafe in downtown Tokyo.

The elementary school installed its standing nap pod on Tuesday as part of its health curriculum, which since last year has included a special focus on the importance of getting sufficient amounts of sleep. Yoshito Nohara, Koyoju’s managing director, described the benefits of the pod’s design with “Data has been collected that shows it is difficult to achieve deep sleep while sleeping perpendicular to the pull of gravity,” and also cited the quickness with which one can return to work or study with an in-office/in-school sleeping booth. “We hope that when these children become adults they’ll create a society in which taking naps is something people do as a matter of course.”

However, judging from online reactions to the video, a lot of people aren’t convinced that stand-and-sleep pods are such a great idea, especially for kids.

“We live in a terrible timeline.”
“You started with ‘Sleep is important,’ and THIS is the conclusion you came to? I think you got some things backwards.”
“I think spending too much time in one of those things would curve your spine.”
“I want to lie down when I sleep.”
“The human body isn’t designed to sleep standing up.”
“I’d be too freaked out about possibly getting trapped inside to get any rest.”
“Instead of making a society where taking naps is normal, you should be making a society where people aren’t so tired that they need to take naps.”
“You can just sleep at your desk in school. I slept all the time in the school library too.”

The last two commenters make especially good points. As evidenced by students sneaking naps in class by putting their heads down on their desk behind a book and out of the teacher’s line of sight, kids are already aware that sleep is good for the body, or at least that sleeping feels better than staying awake when they’re tired. More so than trying to re-instill the pretty obvious concept that sleep is good, the important thing would seem to be either creating time during the school day for kids to take regular naps, or to find a proper study/homework load and teach time management skills so that kids aren’t shaving down their sleep hours by staying up late studying, or trying to have just a little enjoyable personal time after finally finishing their overly heavy school responsibilities for the day.

Still, all else equal, having a school nap booth at least makes it easier to get some extra sleep than not having a school nap booth, though it’s unclear if kids can make regular use of it, or if it’s only available on special occasions as part of that day’s health lesson. The school’s booth will be in place until February, after which the kids will apparently need to find some other place for supplemental slumber.

Source: Tele Asa News, YouTube/ANNnewsCH via Jin
Images: PR Times
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