EBN- There are activities in the world that may surprise many people, one of which is organized in several regions of the world and is represented by a meeting to sleep in public places on a specific day, which is February 28 of each year.
This activity is intended to remind people of the importance of sleep and relaxation, especially in industrial societies with their fast pace and heavy burdens. On this day, people gather to sleep together in public places such as parks, squares, even offices and public transportation.
The idea of this unofficial holiday emerged as a response to the problem of chronic sleep deprivation, which has become increasingly important in modern life. The World Health Organization indicates that more than 30% of the world’s population suffers from sleep disorders, which negatively affects their health, productivity and quality of life.
Popularized by social media and activists promoting healthy living, World Sleep Day is celebrated with events such as meetings, workshops and even sleep competitions.
Supporters of this activity see the spread of the phenomenon of sleeping outside the home as a clear indicator of the level of psychological, emotional and physical stress in some areas and among some social groups. The organizers of the events on this day suggest taking a nap in a public place or in the lap of nature, to give the body a chance to regain its strength.
Japanese idea
The idea was borrowed from Japan, where a tradition called “inemuri” has been around for over 1,000 years, literally translating into a phrase that says: “to be present and sleep.”
It is worth noting that sleeping during the day in public places is a widespread phenomenon in Japan. According to Japanese tradition, “inemuri” is not prohibited, but rather encouraged by society as a sign that a person is sleeping little because he is working hard. The only exceptions that are not acceptable are those that threaten public safety.
Inemuri essentially embodies the Japanese concept of time, allowing for many useful things to be done at once. Sometimes, in exchange for participating in public sleeping events in Japan, one can get a reward for attending such a meeting or seminar, in addition to enjoying a generous amount of rest.
Japanese tradition
The Japanese tradition of sleeping in public places, including department stores, cafes, and restaurants, is more prevalent among older men and women office workers because older employees are traditionally more active.
The Japanese also practice “inemuri” in train cars that are sometimes converted into bedrooms, encouraged by a very low crime rate, which means you can relax and sleep without worrying about being robbed.
One reason for the prevalence of sleeping in public places in Japan is that the country’s citizens sleep very little in their beds at home. A 2015 government-sponsored study found that 39.5 percent of Japanese adults sleep less than 6 hours a day.
Japan is also known for its culture of intense work and long hours, which leads to high rates of sleep deprivation among employees. In this regard, “Karoshi”, which means death from overexertion, is one of the serious health risks associated with this prevailing culture.
In light of all this, Japanese researcher Masaharu Morimoto proposed in 2008 to designate an international day for public sleep, in an initiative to draw attention to the problem of sleep deprivation and its increasingly serious complications.
