Easing pressure

In a high-end office building in Dalian's Donggang Business District, mild hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatment is helping workers relax and recover during their lunch breaks.

Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy uses low pressure to enhance oxygen delivery throughout the body to relieve stress, improve illnesses and speed recovery.

Offered as promotions for first-time online buyers, the 60-minute treatment costs 250 yuan for a single-person chamber and 360 yuan for a double-person chamber.

"You can't expect a noticeable improvement from just one session. Unless you've been pulling all-nighters and your back feels like it's carrying a mountain — then after one session you'll feel instantly lighter. Or if you've had too much to drink and your head is foggy, it will sober you up immediately," said a staff member surnamed Song.

She said many people who try the treatment become long-term members, adding the chambers are often fully booked.

Some frequently bring friends along, treating it as a new form of socializing. Others, too busy to step away from work, bring their laptops inside the chamber and continue working. But the majority, she said, simply come for a good, deep sleep.

In Xi'an, Shaanxi province, a Lumiere cinema launched a "Lie-flat plan" in May 2025, opening two of its auditoriums for midday napping during the weekday 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm window. The service costs just 29.9 yuan per month for a single person or 49.9 yuan for two — roughly the price of a single movie ticket.

The cinema provides pillows and blankets, sets the lighting to a dim, sleep-friendly level, and maintains a constant, comfortable temperature. Within months, all 76 available seats were sold out, with renewal rates so strong that management decided to continue the service even during peak movie screening seasons.

"In the office, even if I can lie down, my brain is still thinking about work," one customer who has renewed his monthly pass twice told media.

"Walking into the cinema, my mind automatically switches from 'work mode' to 'rest mode'. That psychological shift is worth more than any mattress."