Newsweek reports that about 37% of Americans nap during the day. (Presumably, this does not include the toddler set.) Apparently, workers regularly sleep in their cars, in storage rooms, at the gym or even in the bathroom! There is even a New York City store called Yelo with private rooms for quick, lunch time naps. For just under $1/minute, you have access to a private sleep pod. (Well worth the price, it seems, compared to sleeping in the bathroom!)

Some workplaces, believing that naps help “increase creativity, memory and alertness” are offering designated sleeping spots on site. A diverse array of employers, including shoe retailer Zappos.com,
Workman Publishing and Yarde Metals offer sleep areas, with Yarde Metals providing “a darkened room equipped with a reclining chair that vibrates to music as a TV screen plays video of a babbling brook, crackling fireplace, beach scene or fish tank.”

The ideal nap? 20 minutes, according to Sara Mednick, author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life. Much longer and you actually become more groggy.

So, if you are looking for a job, you may want to see if your potential employer offers “nap benefits.” I would venture a guess that many more offer “caffeine benefits,” research about productivity notwithstanding!

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photo by thepretenda