The Benefits of Napping at Work

I work at a college. I don’t close a door or hide myself somewhere but rather openly sit back in a comfy chair and close my eyes.

I nap like this for two reasons:

Firstly, the noise of the students talking around me helps me to focus on something outside of myself, instead of actually thinking.

When I’m thinking about work, my brain is too active to shut down and relax. So I focus on the noises beside me, behind me, above me. And then the noises are gone and I’m asleep.

Secondly, I nap like this to make a statement.

 I believe in the importance of allowing the body and mind time to quiet down. I want others to know that it’s okay to take a break.

I want to get rid of any stigma that to nap must mean that you are lazy.

Some people may think that napping indicates a lack of ambition or that naps are only for children.

But my brother takes a daily afternoon nap and he is one of the most productive people I know. Apparently, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison were nappers too.

According to the Sleep foundation.org a short nap “can help to improve mood, alertness and performance.”

When I take the time to decompress for 10–20 minutes, I wake up refreshed and am able to take on the afternoon at work without suffering the “afternoon slump”.

I have more creativity, more energy and renewed interest to return to my office.

Other countries have already recognized the value of the nap. According to Sleep.org people actually go home from work for a Siesta in Spain or a Riposa in Italy. Other countries like Greece, Mexico, and Costa Rica also incorporate naps into their regular daily routine.

I look forward to the day when North America adopts the Siesta and makes it a mandatory part of the workday.

How about you? Are you a napper too?

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(First featured on Medium platform April 17, 2019)