Liverpool’s Wapping was temporarily renamed ‘Napping’ today in 'protest' as Highgrove Beds campaigns for Westminster to become 'Restminster' and spearhead a healthier attitude towards sleep.
The stunt coincided with this year’s Labour Party Conference, following research that 79% of the UK are not confident in the judgement of a sleep-deprived Prime Minister or politician, with just 18% saying they would trust decisions made on too little rest.
The ‘protest’, which aimed to put sleep firmly on the political agenda, took place today, ahead of the PM's speech. The stunt challenged the long-held belief that long working hours and little sleep are signs of workplace commitment, particularly within politics, says Highgrove: "In fact, the public is urging senior politicians to prioritise their sleep, aiming for at least 6.6 hours of sleep on average per night."
The manufacturer's research also revealed that: more than two in five (44%) agree that sleeping very little is seen as a sign of hard work, ambition or success, rising to 51% for Gen Z – while almost two thirds (64%) of working Brits believe that colleagues who start early and stay late are viewed as more committed to their careers than those who don’t; and that, in the last year, more than a third (36%) have forgotten something important when sleep-deprived, 34% have started an argument, 18% have made a mistake at work and 15% have made a bad financial decision (worryingly, 11% also confessed to having driven a car when too tired to do so safely).
Highgrove Beds' Neil Robinson says: “The name ‘Napping’ might raise a smile, but there’s a serious point behind it. Too often, people are praised for running on empty, when the reality is that rest helps us think clearly, respond calmly and perform at our best.
“Today is about starting a more useful conversation. Sleep isn’t wasted time, and it shouldn’t be the first thing sacrificed when pressure rises. If people are making decisions that affect others, being properly rested matters.
“That’s why we are here at the conference and why we’re prepared to offer practical support, not just words. We want better sleep to be taken seriously in workplaces, homes and especially Westminster.”
Highgrove has also pledged to become the Government’s official sleep sponsor, offering any MP a Highgrove bed free of charge.
