There's a 'club' in midtown Manhattan where tired office workers pay $10 to take a 30-minute nap

• New York City now boasts Nap York, a new facility in midtown Manhattan where you can pay $10 to rent a nap pod for 30 minutes.
• Napping has myriad psychological and physiological benefits, like increasing energy and boosting cognitive function.
• But not all workplaces are open to the idea of employees sleeping in the middle of the day.

The city itself may never sleep, but its inhabitants are getting drowsy.

A 24-hour "club" for napping recently opened in midtown New York.

At Nap York, in addition to napping, patrons can visit the cafe, the yoga studio, or the lounge (for working, not sleeping). A 30-minute stay in a nap pod runs $10 - and you can book the pod for as long as you'd like.

Time Out New York reports that Nap York is filled with greenery and soft lighting to create an atmosphere of extreme tranquility.

Stacy Veloric, Nap York's director of marketing, told Business Insider that since Nap York opened in February, 1,000 people have visited. The majority of nappers are local employees, she said, but they also attract commuters whose buses and trains are delayed (Nap York is near two transit hubs: Penn Station and Port Authority).

If you'd feel guilty about ducking out of work for an hour to catch up on sleep, we get it. As psychologist Ron Friedman previously told Business Insider, the American workplace isn't exactly pro-napping.

"Particularly in American culture, we like to believe that productivity is a function of effort, and that if we work hard we'll produce."

But, he added, "The reality is that we have a biological need for rest no different or less important than our need for food or water."

Napping during the workday may become more common over time

Business Insider's Rachel Gillett reported on a growing body of research on the restorative power of even a short nap. Studies have found that a half-hour nap can increase energy, boost cognitive function, and help with emotional control.

In fact, Arianna Huffington - founder of HuffPost and Thrive Global and an outspoken proponent of sleep, told Gillett that she predicts nap rooms will soon be "as universal as conference rooms" in offices.

And, as Business Insider's Melia Robinson reported, WeWork cofounder Miguel McKelvey said he's open to the idea of nap pods in coworking spaces.

Veloric said most Nap York patrons stay for about an hour - though according to the Mayo Clinic, if you sleep for longer than 30 minutes, you risk waking up feeling groggy. Some people, she added, use the pods for meditating.

Nap York places a high priority on cleanliness: They use Airweave mattresses, which are washable and keep out bedbugs; plus they change the pillowcases and blankets after every use.

Demand for naps has been higher than expected, Veloric said. Right now there are seven nap pods available; by mid-April there will be 30.

The company also offers a shuttle service that picks up passengers from red-eye flights and brings them to Nap York before it's time to check into their hotel.

"The tide is changing," Veloric said. "People are really starting to focus on self-care and on wellness. And people are understanding it's OK to take that break and to focus on yourself if you're exhausted."

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