2026-03-25 17:20:00

A Sleep Contest Is Happening on Chongming Island

BY EVA ZHAI | SmSh Staff Editor

In Shanghai for over four years now. Fitness lover. Very amateur badminton player. Love reading. Sometimes I write about the little things in this big city.

The Chongming Forest Sleep Challenge is exactly what it sounds like: you head to Dongping National Forest Park, get on outdoor mattresses, and try to sleep better than everyone else. Fancy sleep-tracking gear monitors everything: how fast you crash, how deeply you snooze, and your overall sleep score.

From 12pm to 7pm, your only job is to lie down and actually rest. No phones, no walks, just birdsong, wind in the trees, and hopefully a nap so good it could win you a prize.

There are prizes:

Supreme Sleeper Award — 3,000rmb for the best overall sleep score
Fastest to Fall Asleep Award — 2,000rmb
"Lie-Down Winners" Bonus Pool — a total of 10,000rmb split between all participants who complete the full challenge

Each session has around 50 participants, many in pajamas with pillows and blankets in tow. Some treat it like a serious competition, others just come for the novelty — either way, it's weirdly fun.

Time

Mar 21 – Apr 26, 2026 — one session every Saturday
May 2 – May 3, 2026 — one session each day

How to Get There

Unfortunately metro line 22 to Chongming won't open until end of this year. A Didi ride would be around 400rmb, and it's roughly a 2-hour drive from downtown Shanghai (with traffic).

Think of it as a little weekend escape from the city, plus you get to nap competitively.