Tokyo recently hosted an unconventional competition where 65 participants battled to prove their snoozing prowess. The event, called "Matt Race by Koala," took place on October 5 in the city's Aoyama district. Organized by Australian bedding brand Koala, the contest offered a 2.22-million-yen prize, a figure inspired by the "zzz" sound of snoring. Over 47,000 people applied, with winners overcoming odds of more than 700 to one.
Participants wore monitoring devices to measure sleep quality, depth, and stability during a 90-minute nap. The competition included disruptions like mirror ball lights and doorbell sounds to test sleep resilience. Some competitors slept through the interruptions, while others woke up. The event began with "sleep induction exercises" and ended with a "Good morning" from the host.
The winner was a 24-year-old woman from Musashimurayama, who remained unfazed by the disruptions. Special awards were given for deep sleep and unusual sleeping positions. The competitions were livestreamed on Niconico, drawing significant attention, especially on social media.
Event creator Afromance noted the uniqueness of competing in sleep, an otherwise private activity. The contest gained additional relevance amid growing awareness of sleep health, highlighted by a 2021 OECD survey showing Japanese people average the shortest sleep among developed nations.