The Arndale Centre now has a ‘sleep lab’

The Arndale now has a dark room full of hammocks where sleepy shoppers can take a 15-minute nap, but it’s not all about leisure.

‘The Chronarium Sleep Lab’ has been set up by the 10th Manchester Science festival and was designed by artists and founders  Rachel Wingfield and Mathias Gmachi from Loop.Ph a “London based spatial laboratory experimenting across the fields of design, architecture, and the sciences.”

This is what a chronarium looks like

On entering the dome you simply choose a hammock to lie down on, get comfy and watch an audio-visual presentation by acclaimed artist Anna Meridith with the purpose to “reset circadian rhythms for a better, more harmonious sleep’.

The idea behind it is that it’s such a relaxing, immersive experience that it can act as an oasis in the middle of a busy shopping centre, a perfect example of an institution of busy, urban, modern day life.

Being part of Manchester Science festival there is also a significant scientific statement being made, the sleep lab has been opened into response from consistent scientific studies showing that our generation sleep less, have a higher level of sleep disorders and the sleep that we have is less valuable and more disturbed and to give people a feel of what undisturbed healthy sleep feels like and encourage people to think about their sleeping patterns.

The Chronarium Sleep Lab is open right now and located in the Halle Square section of the Arndale centre and will remain open until Sunday 30th October.

Opening times are from 11am-8pm Monday to Friday, 11am-7pm on Saturday, and 11.30am-5.30pm on Sunday. Ages 14 and under should be accompanied by an adult. The best part is it’s all free, but at busier times you may be required to make a booking at the reception desk located next to it and return later.