If you find yourself falling asleep at your desk mid-workday, this South Korean trend might appeal to you. Exhausted workers can now duck out of the office and pay to take a nap at nearby cafes and cinemas, Quartz reports.
Writers Isabella Steger and Soo Kyung Jung explain that these businesses are popping up around the country because, to put it bluntly, “office workers are so desperate for some shut-eye.” The country’s high levels of stress are also fueling the trend, which, according to the Quartz piece, includes “fast healing” and “sleepenomics,” industries that revolve around products designed to help people recharge quickly (think massage chairs and yoga).
Yeouido, a cinema in Seoul, is offering customers a cup of coffee and the chance to nap for an hour and a half during the workweek for 10,000 won or $8.80. But if you’re just looking to recharge rather than get some actual shuteye, many of these cafes are also equipped with bean bag chairs, board games and even pets to help customers relax.
South Korea isn’t the first country to turn to nap cafes and “fast healing,” as both China and Japan have gained media attention for citizens seeking faster, easier ways to recharge. While the need for these types of establishments shows that in some places, burnout culture is still alive and well, it also demonstrates that people are beginning to take the epidemic of stress and burnout seriously.
Read more about the trend at Quartz.