Japan's 'Giraffenap' Vertical Sleeping Pod Allows Workers Short Breaks at Work

JAKARTA - Experts have long argued that short naps at work can increase alertness, increase productivity, and even make a person more creative.

Now, a Japanese company has revealed a strange pod that makes it easier for workers to snooze. 'Giraffenap' is a vertical pod that allows office workers to sleep standing up, similar to a long-necked mammal.

About the size of a small payphone booth, the pod contains a series of platforms that support body weight while blocking outside sounds.

Yet, at just 8.4 feet tall and four feet wide, clophobes may prefer an office couch or leaning over their desk the old fashioned way.

Giraffenap is the work of the Koyoju Plywood Corporation in Hokkaido, Japan - a country where it is customary to fall asleep at a desk.

The company says it is working 'towards a society where everyone can easily take a nap', and ultimately 'improving business and health'.

It's unclear how much these devices will cost companies to install in their offices; MailOnline has contacted the company for more information.

"There must be a lot of people who can't shake off their physical exhaustion and stress and have to endure the drowsiness and keep working," said the company. "Now, we are approaching an era where we shatter those stereotypes. Sleep standing up and restore your mind and body in no time."

Koyoju Plywood Corporation offers two sleeping pod designs - the futuristic 'spacia' and the more classic 'forest'.

From the outside, this vertical pod could be mistaken for a storage unit, a private room for conference calls, or even some kind of indoor toilet.

But inside is an elaborate seat arrangement that allows for a 'four-point holding posture requiring no force anywhere'.

Residents must adopt an unconventional thunderbolt-shaped posture in which their knees are bent and their body is tilted slightly forward.

Their heads and arms, meanwhile, rest atop a padded platform, similar to how airplane passengers use their folding tables when they need to sleep on a long haul flight.

The company says their pods are meant for people no taller than 6.5 feet (198 cm) or weighing more than 220 pounds (100 kg), because if they were older they likely wouldn't fit.

The pod is also equipped with a fire extinguisher, smoke detector, ventilation fan, ceiling, and floor LED lighting, and even a metal fitting to hang a jacket.

Although there is a ventilation fan, the ceiling can be removed if the user wants to breathe fresh air while they rest.

"Sound is blocked so that the noise of a busy office is not heard, ensuring you can put your mind at ease in a quiet space," says the company.

The company recommends 20-minute naps, as sleeping longer than 30 minutes "can affect your sleep at night because it's easier to fall asleep."

It's not just designed for the office; according to Japan Today, the machine is also being installed in cafes, including the Harajuku Nescafé in central Tokyo, where it is supposed to provide workers who want to refresh themselves with an alternative to coffee.

As the Koyoju Plywood Corporation points out, "numerous" studies have shown that active naps have a positive impact on health, productivity, and creativity.

In 2017, researchers at the University of Hertfordshire found that naps of less than 30 minutes can increase feelings of well-being and improve performance.

In a sample of over 1,000 people, those who took longer naps were more unhappy than those who didn't nap at all, suggesting that napping too long could be detrimental.

A study published in June this year also found a link between afternoon naps and heavier total brain volume.