Society Topping this year's not-to-do list: bonenkai

According to the online questionnaire conducted by Tential Inc., a Tokyo-based health and sleep-related goods manufacturer and seller, 25.7% of respondents cited year-end parties among things they wished to avoid as 2023 ended, with multiple answers permitted. This followed the most common solution: their views were not among the options given, at 37%. The year-end party aversion was followed by "studying" at 22.6% and "going on a trip" at 15.3%.

Conversely, 41.6% of respondents said they'd rather "sleep" at the year's end, followed by responses including wanting to "relieve fatigue" at 38.4% and "spend time with family" at 33%. When asked if people this year were experiencing accumulated fatigue more than normal, a total of 66.1% answered either "yes" or "somewhat." This group was further asked to cite their activities and other engagements that had increased compared to last year, with multiple answers allowed. As a result, "time spent on work" topped the ranking at 34.7%, followed by "eating out" at 29.9% and "socializing with friends" at 20.4%.

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Masaki Nishida, head of Waseda University's Sleep Research Institute, who analyzed the survey results, commented, "It is thought that a greater number of people this year find themselves worn out due to the boost in activities in 'the post-coronavirus crisis' and the abnormally hot summer. With a backlash from the sudden increase in socializing, the survey outcome strongly suggests people are inclined to heal their fatigue by sleeping."