Hard At Sleep

SLEEPYHEAD

Ellie Smith advocates for naps at work:

Every couple of months, it seems, another article appears extolling the benefits of taking short naps. Depending on their length, naps are said to boost productivity, creativity, memory, and problem-solving abilities -- not to mention enhance weight loss, reduce stress, and lower the risk of heart disease. Naps are also said to be more effective than drinking caffeine for stimulating alertness. And yet, sleeping during the workday, for the most part, remains a taboo. Some employers turn a blind eye, but others aren't very forgiving. (The Atlantic Media Company, for example, states in its Employee Handbook that sleeping, along with committing a felony and possessing explosives on company property, is grounds for dismissal.)

Why not recognize what employees are already doing, or desperately trying to avoid doing, and not only allow but encourage short naps during the workday? What company wouldn't want employees who are alert, focused, happy, and healthy?

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