Staying Smart by Taking a Nap
Staying Smart by Taking a Nap
This project consists of two phases, with the aim of promoting sleep hygiene and improving students’ mental health.
Phase 1: Research on Sleep and Memory
In a lab setting, students’ sleeping activities and memory are monitored using specialized equipment such as Electroencephalography (EEG). Two sleeping pods are used as a preliminary investigation to gather napping experience data. Naps are expected to enhance students’ memories and help them achieve learning efficiency in a long run.
Phase 2: Nap Pod Implementation
Two new nap pods will be implemented in this phase. Through surveying the nap pod users, it is hoped to investigate the effectiveness of nap pods and other healthy sleep behaviours on students’ cognitive functioning and stress management.
An exhibition or a workshop will be hosted at the end of the project to promote the importance of sleep hygiene to students.
Reservation link for nap pods:
LSK Library: https://lbbooking.hkust.edu.hk/calendar/day.php?area=19
Student Center: https://w5.ab.ust.hk/wrm/app/login?path=/bookings/
What is the problem this project is trying to address?
Given the large number of students and our campus location (far from city center), it is unlikely for our students to find their own place to take a nap on campus. As a result, countless students simply fall asleep on the library desks. The current two nap pods are always fully occupied. Poor sleep quality brings out malfunctioning emotion regulation, unsatisfying academic performance, and adverse health outcomes such as immune issues. There is room for improvement regarding students' quality of life. Installing more sleeping pods will meet with the increasing demand and enhance students’ sleeping quality.
Through surveys on sleeping pods users, this project would like to pay attention to students with mental health problems (e.g., depression and insomnia) and special educational needs (e.g., attention deficit and dyslexia) who could also benefit from such a facility.
Through sleep-memory research and nap pods implementation, the nap pods will be an ecologically valid solution to promote the physical health, learning efficiency and mental well-being of our students.
How does this project support our sustainable smart campus as a living lab vision?
This project aims to focus on how to improve students’ cognitive and mental functioning through naps. Obtaining healthy sleep habits is important for both physical and mental health, improving productivity and overall quality of life. A 20-min power nap can be a handy way to regain energy during the day. Thus, this project combines sleep research (Phase 1) and implementation & survey (Phase 2) on HKUST students, to study the benefits of naps on learning and memory. In the long run, sleep pods will be a unique alternative space for our students to relax and take a break from staying in a highly stressful environment.
In Phase 1, the research findings indicate that taking daytime naps can improve students’ memory and contribute to long-term learning efficiency. These benefits are linked to specific brain activities related to memory processes during sleep. In Phase 2, based on a 13-month questionnaire survey involving feedback from nearly 400 users, approximately 40% of users fell asleep after using the sleep pods, with around 94% of them reporting a sleep quality of "OK" or higher. Although not all users fell asleep, overall, around 77% of people experienced adequate rest or a boost of energy after using the nap pods. In sum, taking a nap has proven benefits for both memory and mental well-being.
What's next?
Stay tuned for our outreach activities at the end of the project!
After the project is over, the nap pods will continue to be located at the Student Center and are accessible to all HKUST Faculty, Staff and Students, providing an alternative option to relax and take a break from the academic stress. This project provides a foundation for potential outreach programs in the future, specifically targeting students with mental health issues and special educational needs (SEN). We believe that the distinctive nature of nap pods, serving the entire student body, will bring about ecological benefits to the campus that are essential for our well-being.