Scaling Great Heights for a Good Night's Sleep (Japan)
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Scaling Great Heights for a Good Night's Sleep (Japan)
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Category: Asia Pacific - Japan - Industry economy
- Figures / Studies
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2008-06-16
"Climbing into bed" takes on a whole new meaning as ANA Crowne Plaza offers Tokyo's Best Bedroom View - in a bed half way up a Ginza building
In Tokyo, the effects of sleep deprivation can be seen everyday...commuters asleep on trains and buses, employees taking a nap at work. But no-one has ever tried to catch up on that all-important sleep in a bed halfway up the Sony Building in Ginza.
Until now.
A bed perched high up on the side of building may be an unusual place to sleep but it does highlight the fact that given the right conditions, a person can sleep almost anywhere.
And sleep is as important as diet and exercise when it comes to a nation's health.
Sleep deprivation in Japan is becoming a national problem according to a survey commissioned by ANA Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts.
Long working hours, weekends at the office, watching television late at night, working at the computer before going to bed, not enough light exercise....they're all contributing factors that lead to sleep deprivation.
"80% of Japanese businessmen and businesswomen suffer from sleep problems."
"Nearly half of businessmen lie awake at night, worrying about work."
"Businesswomen are kept awake by thoughts of interpersonal relationships."
"Around half of all businesspeople sleep for less than 6 hours a night on weekdays."
(ANA Crowne Plaza / IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan consumer survey on sleep habits: 2008)
And as a result of this survey, ANA Crowne Plaza in particular, has elevated the focus on helping guests get a good nights sleep, which has taken on even greater importance.
One in three businesspeople (33%) said they faced trouble sleeping while traveling for either business or leisure and most said they had "no time" to implement simple measures to promote better sleep.
According to prominent sleep consultant, Arichika Iwata, some of these simple measures include:
* Light exercise a few hours before sleeping
* Unwinding in a warm bath
* Aromatherapy
* Low-caffeine tea
* Using the right pillow for your personal needs
* Avoiding email or computer use before sleep
With the growing interest in "work-life balance", these changes can be introduced in daily life, but when people are traveling on business, it can be a little more difficult.
As a result of the findings of the survey commissioned by ANA Crowne Plaza, Mr. Iwata supervised the development of ANA Crowne Plaza's Sleep AdvantageTM program.
Every guest staying at ANA Crowne Plaza Hotels is provided with:
* Eye Warmer (Megurism Steam Eye Mask)
* Bath Powder-soothing and refreshing
* Low-caffeine Roasted Green Tea mixed with brown rice for the nighttime & Mint Green tea for the morning
* Leaflets offering advice for a comfortable night's sleep
* A "Pillow Menu" offering guests a selection of six types of pillows varying in thickness and softness for that perfect night's sleep
* Three types of aromatherapy oils
"Sleep deprivation costs the Japanese economy 3.5 trillion Yen ($30.7b) a year, mainly in lost productivity". (A Report by Makoto Uchiyama, Professor of Psychology, Nihon University: 2006)
The ANA Crowne Plaza survey found that most businesspeople recognize they have a sleep problem and that "problems at work" is the main reason that businessmen can't sleep.
Businesswomen tend to worry about a wider range of problems with nearly 40% relating their sleep problems to "work" and 30% to "family", while "money" was the cause of sleeplessness for 27% of women. For one quarter of Japanese business women, thoughts of "a member of the opposite sex" is keeping them awake at night.
The survey also found that many people know what they can in order to help them sleep better, but just can't seem to put their knowledge into practice.
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