Okay, so I saw this thing online about “professional sleepers” and I was like, “Wait, what? People get paid to sleep?” My mind was blown. I had to try this out, see if it’s even a real thing and how much money could be made.
First, I started digging around online. I typed in stuff like “sleep studies,” “paid sleep research,” that kind of thing. Turns out, yeah, it’s kind of a thing! Universities and some companies will pay you to participate in sleep-related research.
Next, I went on a hunt for actual opportunities. I looked at university websites, checked out research hospitals nearby, and even browsed some online forums where people were talking about this. It was harder than I thought! A lot of the studies wanted people with specific sleep issues, like insomnia or sleep apnea. I’m a pretty good sleeper, so that was a bit of a roadblock.
- Found some promising leads at a local university.
- Discovered a few online platforms that connect researchers with participants, but they weren’t super active.
- Realized most paid “professional” sleeper is for research, but there are also some “sleep reviewer” that test out mattress.
I filled out a bunch of online applications, answering questions about my sleep habits, health history, all that jazz. It felt like a long shot, to be honest. I just kept at it, though. You know, “in it to win it,” or at least “in it to get paid to nap.”
Then Finally! I got an email back from one of the university studies! They were doing research on the effects of different room temperatures on sleep quality. Sounded perfect for me! I went in for a screening, answered more questions, and they accepted me into the study!
The Actual “Work”
Basically, I showed up at the sleep lab, they hooked me up to a bunch of sensors (kind of like those wires you see in movies), and I just… slept. Seriously. They controlled the room temperature, monitored my brainwaves, heart rate, all that stuff, while I snoozed away. I even slept on some nice mattress for testing.
It wasn’t exactly glamorous. The lab was kind of sterile, and those wires were a little annoying. But hey, I was getting paid to sleep! It felt pretty surreal, * turned out as a side hustle.
So, how much did I make? For this particular study, I earned about $100 per night, and it lasted for three nights. So, $300 for basically doing what I do every night anyway. Not a bad deal! It’s not enough to quit my day job, but it’s definitely some nice extra cash.I think I’d do it again, it’s not a bad way to make a little extra money!
