Take a Nap!
Feeling a bit run down this morning? If you’re in an area that observes Daylight Savings Time, you aren’t alone. It’s speculated that the hour lost to “springing forward” has a huge effect on productivity.
A study in Neuroscience Letters found that when people were transitioning their schedules after “springing forward,” the quality of their sleep decreased and they slept an average of an hour less per night. The resulting sleepiness leads to a loss of productivity and an increase in loafing around in the office, with people playing around on the computer more than working. Health issues tend to arise too- during the first week of Daylight Savings, there’s a spike in heart attacks, according to a study in the The American Journal of Cardiology and other previous studies. That’s because losing an hour of sleep increases stress and provides less time to recover overnight. Conversely, the opposite is true when we gain an extra hour of sleep. The end of daylight saving time causes a decrease in heart attacks.
Your Heart Will Thank You for Napping
So that’s why Boston University professor William Anthony and his wife Camille created Napping Day in 1999. It is an unofficial holiday set aside to help people adjust to Daylight Saving Time and to highlight the health and productivity benefits of napping.
They have written two widely acclaimed books, The Art of Napping and The Art of Napping at Work, which explain their findings on the value of a nice nap. According to the power nap couple, napping helps in the following ways:
1. Napping improves mood – makes you feel better
2. Napping improves performance – makes you more productive
3. Napping is no cost – no expensive clothes or equipment needed
4. Napping is no sweat – no shower needed
5. Napping is self prescribed – no doctor’s orders needed
6. Napping is non-fattening – you cannot eat while napping
7. Napping is a non-invasive procedure – no one does anything to you
8. Napping has no dangerous side effects – unless you are driving
“We chose this particular Monday because Americans are more ‘nap-ready’ than usual after losing an hour of sleep to daylight savings time,” William Anthony said in the Boston University news release announcing the holiday.
When Americans are forced to “spring forward,” we lose that precious hour so it’s much easier than normal to nap. We can all relate to that 3:30 mid-afternoon blah, especially after a bad night’s sleep with one less hour on the clock. Since most of us are at work, we must settle for the power nap, a 20 to 30 minute snooze. It’s just a quickie to rejuvenate your mind and body.
You Deserve a Nap, So Take One
You don’t have to make a bed under your desk or fold down the backseat in your Volvo to get a few ZZZ’s at work. Here’s a few tried and true sleep secrets:
- Try a bathroom stall (take off your shoes so they won’t know who is in the stall)
- Inventory/stock room is usually not frequented much.
- Duck in the office of an employee out sick
- Taking the stairs is something most people don’t do- though be sure to bring something to sit on.
In Bangladesh and Indian Bengal it is called bhat-ghum, literally meaning “rice-sleep.” Spaniards take their infamous siestas and Germans enjoy ein Schläfchen. In China and Taiwan it is called wujiao. Most Chinese schools have a half-hour nap programmed straight after lunch. And best of all, Japanese businesses have created “Nap Rooms” for their employees.
Big Desk? It’s an Even Bigger Bed
Join the rest of the world in taking a power nap today! Close your office door, roll up your jacket and take a snooze under your desk. Of course, if you work from home then what can be easier than taking half an hour or so in bed to recharge your batteries? Although, to prevent you from becoming too comfortable with blending your home and work lives together, it’s best to have a designated workspace (a home office perhaps) from which to do your work. Surrounding yourself with things like desks, office supplies, and filing cabinets can be helpful for the office and create an environment where you can dedicate yourself wholly to what you’re doing. This way, you’ll have a place where you can focus and remain untempted by things like your bed, the TV, or the fridge!
If your boss asks you what you’re doing. It’s simple, ask: “Didn’t you know it’s National Napping Day?”
Happy Napping!
Cuddle Up and Get Refreshed!
