Should we all be napping on the job? These are the potential benefits of a work siesta
They're catching forty winks in car parks, on side streets before the school run, in nap pods you can hire by the hour, or even sprawled out in bed while working from home.
Can Aussies who have a kip during the day or at work be giving themselves a health boost?
Several research studies have found that getting rest throughout the day can result in benefits such as improved memory and concentration.
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Here are some tips on how to make the most of napping during the day.
Keep naps short
G'day mate, getting a good kip is just as crucial as eatin' right and exoddin' regularly, but don't mind me sayin' it, heaps of people aren't gettin' enough of it, according to James Rowley, the bloke in charge of the Sleep Medicine Fellowship at Rush University Medical Centre.
"A stack of it has to do with electronics. It used to be TVs, but now mobile phones are probably the biggest snag. People just take 'em off to bed with 'em and watch," Rowley said.
research showed that young adults who were on their mobile phones before bed were more likely to have difficulties with sleep.
The key to taking effective naps is to keep 'em short, eh? Rowley reckons short naps can be super restorative and'll leave you feeling more alert, too.
"G'day, most people don't know naps should be in the 15- to 20-minute range," Rowley said.
You might have trouble waking up, you'll feel like you've got the 'g apartment' and finding your feet will be a battle, having anything more than a short nap will give you that feeling all day, getting to sleep will be a struggle.
People who often rely on naps to make up for a lack of good sleep should also take a close look at their bedtime routine, he said.
In Australia, sleep guidelines recommend taking a nap when needed, such as after exercise or a meal, to ensure you're well-rested and ready for the evening.
Mid-afternoon is the best time for a snooze because it falls in sync with the body's natural decrease in energy levels, whereas napping after 6 pm may mess with your nighttime sleep if you're working during the day, according to Michael Chee, the director of the Centre for Sleep and Cognition at the National University of Singapore.
A dinkum, any length of arvo nap you take, you'll feel right as rain. It's your mind and body's pressure valve, mate. There are definite thinkin' benefits, too.
A review of napping studies recommends that 30 minutes is the ideal nap length in terms of practicality and benefits, said Ruth Leong, a research fellow at a Singapore centre.
"Taking very long naps can be unsustainable and also disrupts your ability to get a good night's sleep, so it's best to keep them short," Leong said.
Gurus reckon setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes, giving dozers a few minutes to catch some Z's. However, some reckon even a short snooze can be rejuvenating already.
Creating space for sleep
Nodding off mid-day is seen as okay and even necessary in some jobs.
The Australian Government's Department of Health recommends nurses get a few winks. However, a lot of nurses don't get a good rest at work because they're too busy and aren't allocated a place to catch some Z's.
Nurses "frequently find it really tough to squeeze in time to have a fair dinkum have a squiz in the toilet or get out into the fresh air, let alone have a kip," said a spokeshuman for the National Nurses United union.
Some companies are trying to fill the gap. Inspired by his mum who worked as a nurse, Neil Wong founded Nap York, which offers sleeping pods in Manhattan and Queens that can be rented for approximately $27 (€26) per hour.
His regular customers consist of people who travel long distances to work every day, UPS drivers, a security guard with two full-time jobs, and doctors working at nearby hospitals.
Nap York also provides 50% discounts for critical service workers, including police officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel.
"G'day mate, in this country, you're lucky to only have two places to kip, you've got your bed at home and a dodgy hotel room you might be able to rug up in for a hundred bucks," Wong said.
In Australia, there's really no third place that's peaceful, that's available for privacy, where you can also recharge.
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