Corporate Naptime?
I wish my high school had been this progressive. Sure we have now seen later start times in some US schools but Japan has got it right.
Related Topics: Nap Quest, The Power of Napping
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"Dozing teenagers at Meizen high school are more likely these days to find their teachers dimming the lights, putting on classical music and joining their students for a power nap."The Japanese have gotten the nap down to a science. Here are their secrets:
Meizen High, last year became the first school in the nation to promote mental alertness by officially encouraging all students to take 15-minute naps in their classrooms after lunch. The nap craze is actually catching on.
In the past few years, "nap salons" , have popped up in Japan's major cities. For about $4.50 you can take a 20-25 minute nap wash your face and get back to work.
- Naps should not last more than 30 minutes, lest they fall into a deeper sleep and awake feeling more groggy than refreshed.
- Department stores and catalogues now sell "desk pillows."
- Some Japanese companies have successfully pressed to have nap salon fees covered by health insurance providers, while others are endorsing something long unthinkable here -- in-office napping.
Related Topics: Nap Quest, The Power of Napping
Technorati Tags: power nap, sleep, nap salon
6 Comments:
For Years I have dozed in my car at Lunch time. I indeed feel refreshed and ready to go back to work and conquer all. -ezcollection
This is soooo true. Napping makes life seem more civilized, plus I feel better - even with a 10 minuter!
Wow - the Japanese are the smartest people. At least, they have lots of common sense and are practical.
I also hope this trend is not a passing fashion and becomes a world wide phenomenon. Even meditating or exercising for 10 minutes does wonders for me if I am unable to squeeze a nap during the day.
Maybe the public health departments/ employers/ schools should consider allowing employees and students to nap for just 10 to 20 minutes (as long as it won't disrupt any urgent issues/activities.) Maybe there won't be as many sleep-deprived people making mistakes. Of course truck drivers, pilots, and ER staff may not be able to implement naps - although they probably need it the most.
Lack of sleep is truly a major public health issue. Researchers are finding lack of sleep contributes to driving errors, on the job mistakes, obesity and it can make people cranky and feel like zombies.
I don’t know that this will ever catch on. Showing the economic benefits of losing 1/2 hour of productivity throughout your company. To theoretical increased productivity of your workers after their naps would be impossible. Of course everything is impossible until it happens.
Well I often feel like napping, and with me having Narcolepsy it would probably do me wonders, but with only 30 mins. it is hard to eat and then nap but I'll have to try it more often, especially if the Japanese are having such success.
Speaking of Naps I read an article in Business 2.0 magazine about a company called MetroNaps in Manhatten that has little white pods that can be laid in for a small fee of $14 over your lunch break. That is definitely a business that will boom because we are starting to realize how important our sleep is to us..
Wel I have to say that a power nap can be better than a good nights sleep, if it is needed. If you are able to get 10-30 minutes of peaceful sleep, it will be well worth it.
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