Stressed out and sleep deprived, Hong Kong residents can now hop on a bus to nap

With their engine sounds, cabin ambiance and the rhythm of a moving vehicle, Hong Kong’s double-decker buses are not just a form of transportation but a popular space for commuters to take short naps. Now, a tour company has designed and launched a five-hour bus journey specifically for customers to sleep as much as they want.

Chow was onto something: In a 2020 poll by the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Center for Communication and Public Opinion Survey, almost 7 out of 10 respondents reported experiencing insomnia, and of those, 60 percent couldn’t sleep because of the pandemic and social unrest in recent years. Some 40 percent said work or school stress affected their sleep quality. In this hectic city, most people live in tiny spaces in high-rise towers; construction noise is ubiquitous and often goes from dawn to dusk.

Napping is part of everyday life for many in Hong Kong. Exhausted workers sometimes bring eye masks and neck pillows to their offices so they can snooze during their lunch hour; capsule beds in a specialty hotel are available for customers to check in for an hour for a speedy recharge. Sleepy straphangers are chronicled on the Instagram account mtrsleepers, where members of the public submit photos of the mind-boggling, hilarious and creative ways that Hong Kongers catch forty winks on the subway.

Charles Brantly, general practitioner at Hong Kong’s Central Health Medical Practice, said the number of patients facing insomnia has doubled from pre-covid-19 times. “People falling asleep on the bus or in the [subway] during the day should be at their most awake, intelligent and energetic state,” Brantly said. “It’s a real red flag to sleep disorder, not a good sign.”

Enter Chow’s company, which rented an air-conditioned double-decker bus and designed a 47-mile route — the longest in Hong Kong — to maximize the time for passengers to zonk out.

The 31 seats on the lower deck and 55 upstairs are made of artificial leather and have head support. There are brief stops for bathroom breaks and at scenic points along the route. Customers are given eye masks and earplugs to help them sleep.

And with the vast majority of Hong Kongers unable to travel abroad because of the city’s draconian quarantine requirements, a long bus ride around the territory is about as far as residents can venture from home. Many come for the novel experience; some are bus lovers; others simply come for the long, relaxing journey along a scenic route.

But some come to take a nap. Ally Yeung was among those who took advantage of the first trip to nowhere when the bus tours began this month. The 44-year-old said she previously loved to snooze during her commute, but hadn’t had a proper bus nap for a few years since she switched to a job closer to home.

Marco Yung, 29, said he did not sleep at all the night before to prepare for the trip. He usually sleeps only six hours a night and takes naps during his lunch break.

Keys to improving sleep quality are going to bed early and avoiding taking naps, which can disturb the nighttime sleep cycle, Brantly said.

“If you are tired, just go to bed early,” he said.

More from the Post

Good sleep means more than getting enough hours. A consistent schedule matters, too.

The sleep gap: If you’re wealthy, you probably get plenty. If you’re poor or a minority, you may not, research finds

The latest from The Washington Post

Credits

Project editing by David Crawshaw and Reem Akkad. Video by Diana Chan. Video editing by Jason Aldag.