University of East Anglia (UEA) is setting up what is said to be the first sleeping centre located on a university campus in the UK .
The student union is offering undergraduates and postgraduates the opportunity to book 40 minute slots in which they can stop and relax before going back to their frantic student lives.
The “nap nook”, modeled on a similar arrangement designed by psychology student Caroline Cooke at James Madison University in the US, will allow students to “recharge their batteries in a healthy manner”.
Kitted out with beanbags, sofa-beds, eye masks and white noise to block out sounds generated in the surrounding area, the napping zone will be open from midday to 6pm, and students will be able to book slots of up to 40 minutes online and in person. The American National Sleep Foundation says a short nap is ideal for “short-term alertness”.
The hectic lifestyle people lead at university makes it easy to lose out on precious slumber. Living in noisy halls or shared flats, late nights out, and the consumption of drugs, alcohol, and fast food often associated with student behaviour can lead to depression, anxiety, and weight gain.
Holly Staynor, Welfare, Community and Diversity officer at the UEA SU, said “taking naps when needed during the day can have massive, positive impacts. More sleep boosts alertness and memory capacity- all of which lead to better grades.”
For students wanting longer than a 40 minute snooze, the advice to students at the UEA is clear: “go home. It’s a nap nook, not a hostel”.
Image – Flickr: RelaxingMusic