NEW YORK (AFP) –
New York is the city that never sleeps, but arduous commutes, hellish hours and ultra-competitive jobs mean even the most wired of party animals or dedicated employees have to recharge their batteries.
But instead of knocking back a coffee or quaffing an energy drink, a growing number of New Yorkers are opting for a quick nap during office hours.
With affluent Americans increasingly health conscious — indulging in fads such as green juice, hot-house yoga and matcha tea — a few pay-for-sleep businesses are now offering customers a little shut-eye on the QT.
Nap York is one. Opening three months ago in a three-story building near Penn Station, $12 buys patrons 30 minutes in a wooden sleep cabin, day or night.
“We wanted to accommodate all the exhausted New Yorkers,” explains Stacy Veloric, the company’s marketing director. “It’s really hard to find peace and quiet within New York City.”
The business opened with seven cabins, but demand quickly exceeded supply and they added 22 more. Soon there will also be hammocks on the roof, where half an hour’s kick-back will cost $15.
The US sleep deficit is real. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a third of Americans sleep less than they should.
Only 24 percent of New Yorkers get eight or more hours of sleep — nearly half get six or less, according to a state-wide survey for Siena College.
www.france24.com/en/20180523-learning-nap-new-york-city-never-sleeps