Chair helps students turn Bs to As with ZZZZs

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This article was published 04/02/2023 (947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON — Students and staff can rest easy knowing there is a dedicated spot for naps on the Brandon University campus.

They can doze off for 20 minutes in the new zero-gravity EnergyPod unveiled this week in the John E. Robbins Library.

Productivity and energy levels increase after getting just a few minutes of shuteye, according to the National Sleep Foundation, a non-profit organization that works with people to improve overall health.

For the Brandon University Students’ Union, it’s about giving students a place to refresh and recharge. It’s not unusual to see students sleeping on couches before an early morning or evening class, said executive director Ashley Taron.

“It’s not about sleeping in the library as a negative, it’s about being able to rest and recharge,” said Taron.

“We know that if the body is tired, the mind is tired, and we’re not going to be able to perform at our best, so this is a way for students to put their best foot forward when it comes to their education.”

Bringing the nap pod to campus started as a dream and turned into reality thanks to a joint sponsorship involving BUSU, BU Library Services and Fusion Credit Union, with discussions that began before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fusion has wellness spaces in each of its 18 branches in Manitoba, and employees were given the option whether they wanted a nap pod or a massage chair. That’s when Fusion got the idea to give back to the community, said chief executive officer Darwin Johns.

“It’s quite the full-circle moment to be here introducing a nap pod. I attended here in the late ‘90s, and my study position was flat on my back on the couch with a textbook on my face — so this is a much better option for students,” said Johns.

To use the nap pod, the user climbs in, pushes a button and the timer automatically starts the countdown for 20 minutes. A circular space-age looking privacy screen swings in front, the lights are dimmed, and the seat reclines.

The user has the option to lay back as far as they want and choose the type of music they would like to listen to, if any. There’s also an option for a neck massage. When it’s time to wake up, the user is nudged slowly and gently, said Fusion’s director of wealth and insurance services.

“When it gets down to about two minutes remaining, the music starts getting louder and there’s a bit of a beat,” said Marlene Heise. “The lights slowly get brighter, allowing you to gradually wake up, not at all like an alarm clock.”

When the Fusion employees voted on whether they wanted the nap pod or the massage chair, 17 of the 18 branches selected the chair, making BU and the bank branch in Dauphin the only places to grab a nap in a pod.

— Brandon Sun