A shut-eye to energise

FITNESS

Power naps may be a good way to raise the energy level and alertness of employees.

Yawn! Well, it happens to the best of us. It's fair to say that quite a few workhours are yawned away. Keeping the productivity levels of the team up is always a challenge for managers, but it could be a good idea to sometimes give in to the yawn.

The term "power nap" was defined by the sociologist from Cornell University, James Maas. It really became a buzzword during the dotcom boom of the nineties when it was quite fashionable to have a big soft couch in the office to doze off on.

Maas said a power nap is a short sleep which terminates before the occurrence of deep sleep and its intention is to quickly revitalise the subject from drowsiness.

Napping is not usually considered the thing to do at your workplace, but it has been a part of work culture in many parts of the world. There is the tradition of the afternoon siesta in Spain and Latin America, but napping is generally frowned upon and even the siesta has been mocked for leading to productivity loss.

The prime reason for drowsiness at work is habitually missing a good night's sleep, which builds up what is called a sleep deficit. Experts say it leads to reduced reaction time, impaired judgement, information processing, short-term memory, performance, motivation, vigilance and even patience.

A power nap usually lasts between 15 and 30 minutes; anything more, experts warn, can make you enter deep sleep, which if you interrupt leaves you groggier than when you started out.

Some of the main benefits include improving alertness and memory retention, sharpening motor skills and increasing stamina. This was corroborated by a NASA study.

The environment most conducive to napping is a quiet and dark corner where you are free from interruptions. You can just doze in your chair if it is comfy enough, or use a yoga mat spread on the floor. Some soothing music on your iPod can help.

The trend of power naps is said to be quite growing in corporate India. Purvi Sheth, vice president, Shilputsi Consultants, a strategic human resources consulting firm, feels that the culture at work today is quite "informal". She is all for the idea so long as employees use it fairly.

"Other than a power nap, the only other quick fix is a coffee break. As a motivational tool, an hour early off work on a designated day also helps. You can also give some time for people to run errands as that is a source of stress," she says.

The best place to be is of course Japan, where a power nap is inemuri (the art of being asleep while alert). It is an acceptable practice, as it is supposed to prove how hard you have been working.

But you have to wake up eventually. Set an alarm, or use Salvador Dali's trick. Grip a spoon in your hand before you nap in such a way that before you enter deep sleep, it slips out and clatters to the floor, bringing you back to all that awaits.