A participant sleeps during the 2024 Power Nap contest in Seoul, South Korea. All photos: Reuters
The city held the event to help residents relax and experience the pleasure of napping outdoors, in a country that has the lowest sleep hours amont OECD countries
About 100 people, some dressed in sleepwear, gathered at the Han River Park to catch some competitive shut-eye for one hour and 30 minutes
Various distractions such as feather tickling, whispering and mosquito noises were used to challenge the participants
Participants stretch their legs before sleeping
Heart-rate measurements were taken to determine the winner - the larger the deviation between the heart rate before and during the nap, the better the sleep quality
For those who took part, they are hoping that this will bring more attention to the need for better sleep habits in South Korea
'Our country is known for its competitive society, and the importance of sleep seems to be undervalued,' said Son Ji-hong, 24, (not pictured) who came to the contest with a neck pillow and sunglasses.
According to South Korea’s National Assembly, the country records the lowest average sleep duration among OECD nations, with citizens averaging only 7 hours and 41 minutes of sleep per night, significantly lower than the OECD average of 8 hours and 22 minutes
The awning is reflected in the sunglasses of a sleeping participant
