What Can We Learn from the Hong Kong Sleep Bus

How often do you find yourself dreaming about a midday nap? Sometimes restless nights, stressful days and too-short weekends leave us feeling in a constant state of sleepiness. While naps are a great way to get through short bouts of sleepiness, they can be hard to take. 

This past year, a unique and interesting take on naps took place in Hong Kong. The city introduced a sleeping bus tour: a 5 hour long bus trip specifically created to allow Hong Kong residents to get some shuteye. 

Image borrowed from TimeOut.

Sleep and Nap Culture in Hong Kong

Hong Kong residents are the most sleep-deprived community from around the world. They often don’t go to bed until very late and often wake up early in the morning. About half of Hong Kong residents - about 1.4 million people - suffer from “primary insomnia”. Primary Insomnia is a type of insomnia where there are no underlying mental or physical reasons why they can’t sleep. The main cause of sleepless nights is the lifestyle and culture of a typical Hong Kong person. 

A study conducted by the Chinese University in Hong Kong found that almost 70% of residents in the city struggle to sleep. 

The average adult in the city sleeps about 6.4 hours - way less than the 8-10 recommended for adults. 

There is a big cultural belief that time is money and efficiency equal to success. So when they’re awake and working, they go all out.

Why Don’t Hong Kong Residents Sleep?

There are a few different reasons that sleep is not valued as much in the city. 

Work Standards

Stress and work-life standards are considered to be the main reason sleep deprivation is the norm in Hong Kong. Personal purpose and pride are often derived from accomplishments and output. This leads to long work days - 12 hour days are quite normal in the city. Expectations of bosses and companies are very high. In fact, one study found that about 23% of Hong Kong residents have sacrificed sleep for work.

Working hard is also often necessary for financial reasons; the cost of living in Hong Kong is very high. An average apartment in the city could be between $3,200 - $4,760 CAD per month. Plus, groceries, utilities, phone bills and general living expenses would be added on top of that. 

Sleep, Nature and Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a huge city and the residents live a very fast paced life. Many forms of entertainment include shows, movies, bars, restaurants and museums. Many entertainment spaces in the city focus around the material. The lower connection to nature can impact sleep since spending time in nature can actually improve the quality of your sleep. 

Big City Living

Hong Kong is a bustling, crowded city. Many people love this lifestyle. But the constant business and consistent buzz of being close to people has a psychological effect. Our bodies, brains and hormones respond to constant stimulus by being on alert. This makes sleep harder. So even if a resident loves the busy life of Hong Kong living, it could impact their sleep without them knowing it. 

How Hong Kong Responds to Sleep

Image borrowed from CNN.

Because of the high pressures of a busy city, buzzing lifestyle and demanding workplace, many Hong Kong residents catch sleep where they can. 

It’s common to nap on the train or bus or - sometimes - to even nap in a 24-hour McDonalds. Catching these quick naps allow residents to sleep and then quickly get back to work. 

It’s not a healthy balance but it’s helping residents catch up on the sleep they sacrifice for success. 

There are also sleep capsules available throughout the city to rent for a midday nap. These “sleep pods” are becoming more and more popular throughout the city to allow travelers a cheap place to sleep OR for office workers to take a nap.

In 2021, a new sleep-aid was released to the city with the goal of helping Hong Kong residents get the sleep they needed: A Sleep Tour Bus. 

The Hong Kong Sleep Tour Bus

Image borrowed from The Economic Times.

When COVID happened and work from home became common all over the globe, lifestyles shifted for millions of people. Hong Kong travel company, Ulu Travel, put together the longest bus route in the city to help bring adventure, excitement and sleep to city residents. 

The bus route happens with a double-decker bus and is about 83kms long. It takes about 5 hours in total to drive through the entire tour. It was designed to pass by many picturesque places outside of the city and gives tour-goers the opportunity to take Instagram-worthy photos at some of the stops. For those suck at home now, it’s a great opportunity to get out of the city and see some nature.

For many residents, sleeping in a bus or train became a part of their daily routine. With the sunshine through the windows, the slight vibrations from the engine and the gentle rock of the bus swaying, it’s a dream come true for nappers everywhere. Who hasn’t slept like a baby on a bus? In fact, sleeping on a bus or while driving is a form of conditioning that many city-livers and commuters experience. It can make it harder to fall asleep in a quiet bedroom or when lying down in a bed. 

With this ultra-long bus route, residents can jump aboard for the pure desire for a really good nap.

The tour proves a “food coma worthy” lunch, and then passes out earplugs and sleep masks. You can sleep between stops or just sleep the entire way if you want. 

Getting Crafty with Sleep

The Hong Kong Sleep Bus Tour proves how city living and lifestyle impacts how we sleep. It also shows that routine is huge for our sleep quality. Being aware of where you sleep and how you sleep is vital to creating a routine that leaves you rested. 

Hong Kong is an extreme on the spectrum of sleep deprivation. While it’s not healthy to rely on naps to keep yourself moving, it’s amazing how an entire city has found ways to work around their collective sleep habits. As sleep becomes more and more valued in our cultures and in society, who knows what types of sleep trends will begin to pop up. Maybe afternoon naps will become routine. Maybe the work day will begin to be split into two sections for a midday break. Maybe, with the rise of flex time, work hours will stop being set in stone. With the growing shift to the 4-day-work-week, sleep deprivation could become a thing of the past. Who knows.

Would you ever buy a ticket for a sleep bus tour?