To sleep, perchance to dream during office hours
CANDICE MARTELINO is a corporate banking manager which entails client-servicing and relationship building. She attends to a lot of meetings (which often extend beyond their schedule times). “There was a time when I [would] come in early for work just to beat the traffic. I’m here [in the office] as early as 7 a.m. I park, go to the office, and do my e-mails. Then, I’d go back to the car just for me to rest to perk me up since I have a long day ahead.” Upon arriving home from work, Ms. Martelino says she is lucky if she gets six hours of sleep.
Ms. Martelino’s co-worker, Brian Dera, added that he would sleep in the car during his lunch and afternoon breaks to catch up on his sleep. Instead of braving the rush hour after work, he and his co-workers would look for a place to kill time and rest before going home.
According to the 2016 AIA Healthy Living Index survey, the Philippines — with a score of 61 points out of a possible 100 — slipped from 6th to the 9th amongst 15 markets in Asia and Australia when it comes to improvements on health. The survey results show that “while Filipino adults would ideally like to get 8.2 hours of sleep a night, in reality, they only sleep 6.8 hours on average. This sleep deficit of 1.4 hours is one of the highest among the 15 markets.”
Aware that many Makati office workers like them share the problem of finding a quiet and private place to rest near their offices, first-time business owners Mr. Dera and Ms. Martelino established a sleeping lounge called Hibernap (from “hibernate” and “nap”) in October 2017 at the Legaspi Parkview Condominium in Makati city.
The peach, lavender, and white-walled lounge currently has eight recliner chairs separated from each other by red curtains, and closed off from the rest of the room with black curtains. Guests are welcomed into the air-conditioned room with soothing instrumental music.
The sleep-deprived customers may opt to sleep for an hour (P140), 30 minutes (P75), or avail of the open-time service. Pagers are given to them to serve as alarms to regulate the nap time, while blankets and eye masks may be rented or purchased. Hibernap also has shower facilities (P150). Refreshments are served after the nap.
Hibernap accepts both walk-in customers and those with reservations.
A nap card was launched last December which is a prepaid card (P1,399) for 12 nap hours, with free use of a blanket and eye mask, and a diamond peel session from Hibernap’s partner skin care clinic, Beaucharm Derma. The nap card is valid until Feb. 28.
The owners said that the business targets professionals in retail banking companies, as well as accountants, businessmen, lawyers, and residents in Makati, adding that the lounge functions to “extend your bedroom in the workplace.”
“Our mission is to help people be more productive with work. We firmly believe in the benefits of napping. It increases your productivity, memory, and overall health,” Ms. Martelino said.
“We live in a very fast-paced environment. Sleep is something we overlook… Everyone needs to rest once in a while,” Mr. Dera stressed.
The owners plan to open branches in other business districts, the university belt in Manila, and bus terminals.
Hibernap is located at 134 Legaspi Parkview Condominium, Legazpi St., cor. Carlos Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. It is open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/hibernap/ or call 0916-504-8405. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman
