Join the first-ever Forest Sleep Challenge in Chongming, Shanghai. Compete in a 7-hour nap-off, win 3,000 RMB, and enjoy a peaceful escape. Registration 299 RMB, ongoing Saturdays until April 26.
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Win 3,000 RMB for a Nap? Inside the First Forest Sleep Challenge in Shanghai
When most people think of a long commute they think of it as a chore, for Mr. Chen, it was just the beginning. He dozed the entire way on the bus from Baoshan to Chongming, waking up at Dongping National Forest Park to compete in a professional "nap-off" with 42 other contestants. This was the scene on March 21, World Sleep Day, when the first ever Chongming Forest Sleep Challenge began its first round.
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It was an idyllic setting, a lush meadow surrounded by forest and water. In the glare of the noon day sun with a mild breeze, the competitors snuggled into their beds for a seven-hour race to rest. Yet as the sun dipped and the night air grew colder, the test took on the air of an actual "challenge of horizontal endurance."
The "Supreme Sleep God" title went to Mr. Yan, (Contestant No. 50) who won 3000 RMB. He slept only for 5 hours out of the 7-hour window. But his triumph was rather bittersweet for all those in adjacent bays — his heavy snoring was reportedly so loud that it was what led the two contenders in neighbouring sleep stations to ultimately surrender from the contest. Contestants hadn't merely turned up for the event; they showed up ready to "sleep big." Ms. Tao showed up with a bulky blue backpack that held her "plushy companion and a pair of pajamas from my university days, so I think familiar smells will help me win." The night before, she even stayed up until 3:00AM to make herself too tired to sleep on command.
Others simply picked things up by ear. Mr. Wu, 26, was "good at sleeping" and even snored through the loud opening ceremony. When the host asked him how long he had been awake, he joked, "I'll answer you when I wake up." For the likes of Mr. Chen, a Baoshan commuter, it was a rare chance to consider himself "completely free from work and life" and nestle in Mother Earth.
It sounds so simple, but the rules were surprisingly rigid. Contestants were allowed to drink water but not to eat. The biggest hurdle? The bathroom rule. No one who left their bed to relieve themselves could return — to do so meant instant disqualification. This compelled a number to quit prematurely, including one contestant who conceded that while the sun-drenched slumber was wonderful, "the bathroom is the real challenge."
For accuracy, monitoring devices were installed in each mattress. These sensors measure whether a person is in light sleep, deep sleep or REM (Rapid Eye Movement). When over a third of a contestant's body leaves the mattress, they are immediately eliminated from the contest.
More than the prizes or the snoring, the event wanted to draw attention to mental and physical well-being. Specialists from the Shanghai Mental Health Center were present to provide answers to inquiries and to remind the public that Insecurity Sleep should be the cornerstone of their well-being. For the family and friends of the "sleepers," the park offers a bustling market featuring homemade handicrafts from Chongming, traditional snacks, and resident sika deer.
The co-hosts said the application process is now open and that more than half of applicants are young people aged 18 to 30, indicating a strong yearning among the city youth to "get out" from the noise and pressures of city living.
The tournament is ongoing every Saturday until April 26, with final rounds scheduled for May 2 and 3. All the slots are fully booked at the moment, but there will be a spot on the registration mini program if someone cancels. The registration fee is 299 RMB, includes bedding, vegetables and milk pack, and to deter "no show" registrations.
Source: 上观新闻
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