Naps At Work Get The Nod
Sun Herald
Sunday April 23, 2000
TIRED employees should be encouraged to sleep at work during lunch breaks, say workplace reform campaigners.
American authors Camille and William Anthony say modern society is leaving many workers sleep deprived and want dedicated napping rooms established in the world's workplaces.
After staging a National Workplace Napping Day in the US last week they now have their sights set on change in Australia.
``I would say Australian employers should open their eyes," Mr Anthony said. ``Their employees are probably napping, but napping secretly. "
Mr Anthony, who with his wife has written two books on napping and established a pro-napping website, said the amount of time people in Western countries had for sleep at night had decreased.
``In America, and I would presume Sydney and Australia, the majority of workers are sleep deprived," he said.
``The culture we have is to work longer hours."
He said family and social pressures had also eaten into sleep time.
``We're not pushing for a siesta culture where offices close from 12 to three," Mr Anthony said. ``We are saying people during their breaks from work should be able to nap without fear for their job or reputation."
He said employers who established nap rooms or told their employees they would not be penalised for napping on their breaks would see rises in productivity.
He said studies had shown the human body had a predisposition to sleep in the afternoon.
``Cicadian rhythms are such that in the mid-afternoon you have a rhythm that resembles the rhythm you have at night," Mr Anthony said.
``Your body temperature and alertness decrease."
© 2000 Sun Herald