Nodding Off at the Workplace Just Got The Nod

The Narcoleptic Argentinean in the Baz Luhruman film Moulin Rouge sleeps at the drop of a hat. In the middle of a song, a dance, or a waltz he's knocked into an unconscious reverie. You might not have so much luck as to be allowed such liberty, but sleep is never elusive when at work! At noon, when the stock charts start to befuddle you and the excel sheets stare vaguely at you, step out of out of work and sink into a short slumber. There's nothing like a power nap to refresh and re-energize you. Well, it's only the mark of a genius to snooze off and let ideas formulate in this unconscious state. The eccentric surrealist painter of the melting clocks - Salvador Dali, would enjoy sleeping for micro seconds in the afternoon with a metal key in his hand. As Dali fell asleep, the key would fall onto the overturned plate on the floor and clank him awake. Not only was Dali revivified by these short naps, but Thomas Edison and Winston Churchill too delighted in napping at work.

An experiment conducted by the University of Düsseldorf, Germany underscored the effectiveness of daytime naps. Participants, who napped for either a short or a long time during the 60 minute retention interval, were better able to recall the list of 30 words. Those who stayed awake during this time could not remember as many words from the list. To get the most out of your daytime nap however, it's important to drive out the guilt with the knowledge of power nap benefits. Imagine forcing yourself to conceptualize innovative products like a pencil printer which uses lead to print documents or writing impossible-to-break codes for your software company while dying to sleep! Chances are your final product will not be as polished or you might spend all of your time trying to come up with a solution for an otherwise simple problem. A power nap helps diffuse stress and improves alertness and productivity. It's like going to the mountain tops just to sing to the birds and to listen to the gurgling waterfall before heading back to the cottage just in time to complete the sewing before dusk.

How long should a power nap be? Is it best to indulge in longer naps to feel that much more energized? Here's some information that will help you determine the duration of your power naps. The National Sleep Foundation has recommended that teenagers and shift workers sleep for about 20 - 30 minutes during the day. Wake before you enter the REM sleep, which is at around 90 minutes, else you'll end up feeling groggy and lethargic. Set an alarm or ask a colleague to wake you in time. Fit power naps into your daily routine, but make sure you don't miss important meetings and conferences while snoozing!

Chatty colleagues and chunking keyboard sounds might make it difficult to hunch over and sleep at the desk, but there are a number of places where you can cocoon yourself. The most serene place is your office library. The stacked racks that watch over you while you sleep give the somnolence a snug location. Another not-so-grand spot to droop without being noticed is the office bathroom. Make your royal chamber comfortable by putting down the seat cover and set your phone alarm so that you don't have someone break open the door in desperation. Store rooms and conference rooms are other places to rest tranquilly. Master the art of sitting reverentially as if in deep thought at a conference, but at a slight distance from your boss or presenter.