Sleeping on the job: LiveSimplicity discussion forum

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Studies have shown that poor sleep can have an impact on performance. Would having the opportunity to take naps during the day improve overall worker performance?

View A

Brief naps would provide an energy boost to overworked and under-slept employees and, in turn, increase overall performance.

View B

Naps during the day is only an excuse for laziness and does not provide any significant help or performance benefit.

6 comment(s) so far

bonlebon thinks: Sure we live in an overworked and overstressed world, but getting enough rest is up to the individual. Companies should find other ways to foster relaxed and productive work environments.

Aos thinks: According to this study, naps during the day reduce the potential for heart attacks or other heart problems. This, in turn, could result in reduced health care costs to employers.

Andrewww thinks: When we get silliness out of the way and look at this proposal rationally we learn that what could seen like laziness to some could actually be a powerful effectiveness technique.

Studies show us that our concentration and energy levels peak in the first 4-6 hours of being awake. When people take a brief nap after this period (example 20-30 minutes after lunch) the same peak appears again.

Great people in history had one (or even several) nap(s) during their day.

For example: Thomas Edison, Napoleon Bonaparte, Salvador Dali, Winston Churchill, and Presidents Kennedy and Reagan.

One of them was even quoted "If I get stuck on and idea, I just sleep on it for half and hour and voila!"

I know I would fancy a bit of shut eye just after lunch!

SirPowell thinks: Taking a nap - or how the americans call it - powernapping is a habit that is much in sync with our very biological rhythm. Unfortunately sleep is considered as avoidable but somehow weak. Working cultures throughout the world do not incorporate sleep into a regular business day. Although they might gain a completely different setup for the regular day e.g. starting earlier, staying longer, leaving later, etc. Of course this requires some alignment but international cooperations could benefit from more time overlaps due to sleep-strengthened people.

JBonnin thinks: I am often revigorated after a short nap. However I don't see much how could companies could implement them. Should companies start distributing smooth sleeping pills before lunch in order to ensure their employees would all take a nice nap and come back to work fresh and alert?

peon thinks: When I was in Taipei (Taiwan) on a business trip, I was at first shocked to see my Taiwanese colleagues freely took naps after lunch. I later learned that it was an acceptable and common practice there.

They don't nap long, just 30 mins after lunch. They nap on (rest their head on) their desks and many of them bring their own mini pillows. Of course, these people also work 10+ hours everyday so the 30 mins nap does their body good!

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