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Daily Life & Activities / Employment & Work

Sleep and Work: An Unlikely Combination

IStock Photo 9550529 © bravobravo

Naptime is something most kids fight against, no matter how tired they are. But when those kids grow up and start working for a living, 40 winks during the day starts to have some real appeal. A little snooze during the work day may seem like an idea employers would frown upon, but surprisingly, 1 in 2.94 Americans say their bosses will let them catch some Zzz’s at work—perhaps because they are believers in the refreshing benefits of a nap. And for the unlucky majority? Many find a way to sneak in a quick snooze, even if it’s against the rules. According to the same survey by the National Sleep Foundation, the odds are 1 in 10 an employee has taken a nap at work.

But it’s not always easy to get a quality nap, sanctioned or not. Only 1 in 6.25 employed adults work for someone who will actually provide a napping area. The rest must make due with their desk or work station, letting their head fall with a nod or a thud, depending on the degree of fatigue. For many of us the temptation is daily because the odds of an adult feeling tired or worn out nearly every day are 1 in 5.88.

Fatigue at work costs billions of dollars every year in lost productivity. It’s hard to be productive when you’re fighting off unconsciousness, and needing more rest causes 1 in 50 workers to miss work at least once a month. Even if they make it to work, 1 in 8.33 will show up late and 1 in 25 will leave work early due to sleepiness at least once a month.

Skipping out might be a better solution than conking out, as National Economic Council head Lawrence Summers learned, when he fell asleep during a speech by President Obama. Apparently he still wasn’t well rested because he fell asleep again a few days later during a meeting between credit card company representatives and the president. One wonders how he felt about naps when he was six.

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Man In The Box: Episode 4-Sleep at Work [Internet]. "manintheboxshow" (useame on Youtube.com). [accessed August 19, 2009]. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBmQx8vl_5s

Brody JE. New Respect for the Nap, A Pause That Refreshes. The New York Times. January 4, 2000 Sect. Health:1.

Study finds that teachers are fighting to stay awake in the classroom [Internet]. Ball State University. [accessed August 19, 2009]. Available from: http://www.bsu.edu/news/article/0,1370,--59668,00.html

Lawrence Summers Falls Asleep During Obama's Speech [Internet]. HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. [accessed August 19, 2009]. Available from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/24/lawrence-summers-falls-as_n_169612.html

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employee has taken a nap at work.

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