Dozens of self-described elite competitive sleepers vied to nap the fastest and deepest in Tokyo on Monday during a contest organised by mattress company Koala Sleep Japan. Dubbed the Matt Race, the competition offered a top prize of over two million yen, equivalent to $14,000.

Participants were fitted with sleep-tracking devices and monitors attached to their heads as they sprawled on comfy mattresses to slumber for up to 90 minutes in a dimly lit room, with some cradling stuffed toys. Riichiro Nakama, creative director at organiser Koala Sleep Japan, noted that Japan is often described as a country suffering from sleep deprivation where people are very diligent.

OECD data from 2021 showed that Japanese people slept an average of seven hours and 24 minutes a day, marking the least of all OECD nations, with experts citing long working and commuting hours and a busy nightlife economy as contributing factors. Nakama stated that by turning rest into such an event, they can get people to sleep together and raise interest in sleep.

Participant Chisato Honda, 32, said the experience was over in an instant and that he almost wished he could have slept a little longer, calling it a happy competition. The winner was ultimately chosen based on how quickly and soundly they slept.

Suimii, the contest winner who only gave her nickname, said she wants to live on her own and will use the money for moving costs. She added that she also wants a bed like a princess's and plans to buy that bed.