MORE than 200 local primary and secondary schools in Shenzhen have taken measures to make noon naps more comfortable for students, allowing them to lie down during lunch breaks, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported yesterday. The initiative has benefited more than 300,000 local students to date.

In China, it is common for students to take a nap at school after lunch. Most students nap at their desks, but experts have warned that the practice is bad for children’s physical development.

Lianhua Primary School has purchased nap mats, built storage cabinets at the back of the classroom, and installed blackout curtains to create a comfortable environment for sleeping. The Shenzhen Nanshan Arts and Sciences Experimental School (Group) No. 1 Primary School has purchased desk chairs that can be transformed into “recliners.” The Zhongshan University Shenzhen Affiliated School has introduced foldable beds that can be conveniently stored in cabinets.

The initiative was made possible by about 10 local lawmakers who submitted a proposal to the city’s legislature last year that called for the city government to take action to create conditions necessary for “lying-down naps.”

Last September, Shenzhen implemented China’s first local standard regarding nap equipment and facilities for primary and secondary schools. The standard sets out requirements for safety, environmental protection, and nap equipment and facilities, including nap mats, sleeping bags, desks and chairs, and foldable cabinet beds.

Sufficient sleep is of vital importance to the physical development and mental health of students.

In 2021, the Ministry of Education called for schools nationwide to arrange time during the school day for students to catch up on sleep, with a daily target of 10, nine, and eight hours of sleep a day for primary, middle, and high school students, respectively.

According to a 2022 report from the China Sleep Research Society, primary, middle, and high school students in China slept for an average 7.65 hours, 7.48 hours, and 6.5 hours per day, respectively.

(Li Jing)