Humber’s student sleep lounge reopens after being closed due to COVID

Jan 24, 2023 | Campus News, News

After two years of the pandemic, IGNITE has reopened its student sleep lounges at both the North and Lakeshore campuses.

“I’m just really happy that there’s a sleep lounge, ’cause we’re always exhausted,” Allizah Concepcion said.

Allizah Concepcion, first-year Culinary Management student, said that she appreciates sleep lounges as she has a fast-paced lifestyle.

Allizah Concepcion, first-year Culinary Management student, said that she appreciates sleep lounges as she has a fast-paced lifestyle. Photo credit: Khiana Gutierrez

The first-year culinary management student said she only gets four hours of sleep at night, arriving at school at 7:30 a.m. and finishing by 3 p.m. before heading to a part-time job.

“The gap between my school and my work, if I do have time to nap or sleep, this is extremely beneficial,” Concepcion said.

The lounge at the North campus is a dimmed room with 12 chairs for students like Concepcion to est and take a break between classes.

IGNITE first launched the sleep lounges in 2016, but had to close them due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They reopened to students on Jan. 9, with new sanitary guidelines in place.

“Before and after each person that rotates, we do go in and sanitize them because the seats are very manageable to clean. And they also are antibacterial seats,” said Melany Palacios-Naranjo, a student advocate for IGNITE.

Student sleep lounge office at Humber College North Campus KX204.

Student sleep lounge office at Humber College North Campus KX204.

Melany Palacios-Naranjo, student advocate at IGNITE from the University of Guelph-Humber, said the sleep lounges had a "soft launch" to reopen.

Melany Palacios-Naranjo, student advocate at IGNITE from the University of Guelph-Humber, said the sleep lounges had a "soft launch" to reopen. Photo credit: Melany Palacios-naranjo

According to, the Government of Canada website, “High-touch surfaces and objects are those that people touch often, and are more likely to be contaminated by the COVID-19 virus. COVID-19 can be spread by touching contaminated surfaces or objects, and then your mouth, nose or eyes with unwashed hands.”

High touch surfaces includes phones, tables, countertops, door knobs, door handles and light switches, all of which are in the sleep lounge facility.

Ritka Diwan, first-year Business Administration and Accounting student, said she’s glad to hear the sleep lounge is being sanitized.

Ritka Diwan, first-year Business Administration and Accounting students, said that the sanitation of the sleep lounges are crucial to using this space.

Ritka Diwan, first-year Business Administration and Accounting students, said that the sanitation of the sleep lounges are crucial to using this space. Photo credit: Khiana Gutierrez

“The place should be cleaned. There should be tissues and some other things which students will require,” Diwan said.

She explains that this space is important for students to use to their advantage especially if those students are on campus for long periods of time.

“Everybody needs some time for themselves, you know to relax and think about yourself. You can sleep, you can take a nap. You can recharge,” Diwan said.

Palacios-Naranjo said that Humber College is a commuter school and emphasizes that students travel from the city and far areas to get to campus and will have to stay a full day for their on-campus classes.

“Although there’s plenty activities to do between classes sometimes what students need is just a little bit of time for themselves to unwind and reset before getting out there for their next class,” she said.

The sleep lounge is accessible to students from Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. without the need for reservations. To use the lounge they must present a piece of student ID or their school schedule.

The lounge at North campus is located above the Student Centre, KX204.