Member Article

Office workers dream of afternoon nap

Nearly half of office workers would willingly swap their lunch break for an afternoon nap, according to a recent survey.

DealJungle.com asked 1000 employees, and found that 46% believed a nap at lunchtime would improve their productivity in the afternoon.

Just over a quarter believed that it would have a negative effect on their output, and 8% of those polled had no opinion either way.

2.45pm was identified as the time most employees started a post-lunch productivity dip, and 37% said they were prepared to sacrifice all breaks in order to reduce their working hours either in the morning or afternoon.

A spokesperson for Dealjungle.com commented: “For many people, modern life is extremely hectic and the pressures of family and work commitments often mean that sleep is a luxury most cannot afford.

“The idea of an afternoon nap may sound childish, however if it has the potential to increase productivity then it is an option which must be seriously considered.

“Think about it, how many of us religiously take our allotted lunch break? If we were to put aside just 30 minutes for a quick snooze in the corner we would be saving ourselves not only time but also improving our health and wellbeing at work.”

The research was also supported by intuitive stress specialist, Helen Wingstedt, who commented: “Sleep is an essential component of success and the amount required varies from one person to another.

“Whether an afternoon nap is beneficial depends on the reason it’s needed. For example, people suffering the side effects of longer term negative stress will find the daily pressures of life difficult to deal with.

“As the mind reaches its stress threshold the desire to ‘escape’ increases and the ultimate form of escape is sleep.

“In this instance, sleep isn’t the answer – dealing with the reasons for on-going negative stress is. On the other hand, busy people with a lot to do who find their schedule overly full will benefit enormously from an afternoon nap to catch up on sleep and recharge batteries.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .