Long seen as a sign of laziness or a lack of professionalism, napping at work is becoming a habit in some pioneering companies. And rightly so! Science now reports that taking a genuine power nap is beneficial. Clichés aside, it could well be an effective way to improve performance and well-being at work.
A cultural practice with many faces
While in France, napping at the office is still pretty rare, or only seen in startups and innovative companies, views on the matter are different in other countries. In China, for example, the right to a nap is enshrined in the Constitution. It is common to see employees dozing off briefly at their desks after lunch. In Spain, the traditional siesta is ingrained in popular culture, even though it is now less common as working routines have changed. In other Mediterranean countries and Latin America, a proper midday break is widely accepted. Conversely, in many English-speaking countries, where the culture of presenteeism still largely prevails, napping at work is often frowned upon, even taboo.
These cultural differences illustrate how our relationship with sleep, and more broadly with well-being in the workplace, is shaped by our imaginations and social norms. Even so, the science is now clear that napping benefits both body and mind.
The proven benefits of adequate rest
The numbers speak for themselves: according to a NASA study, a 10- to 30-minute nap can increase productivity by 34% and alertness by 54%. And that’s great, because we’re biologically programmed to nap! Our body naturally emits a sleepiness signal in the early afternoon, however good the quality of our nighttime slumber. Taking a short nap helps you recover effectively. Keeping it brief means you don’t fall into a deep sleep, nor struggle to wake up.
But that’s not all! Napping increases alertness and concentration, improves cognitive performance, memory, creativity, and productivity, as well as resistance to stress; there are countless benefits to getting enough rest. As nearly a third of French people sleep fewer than six hours a night (well below the recommended seven and a half hours), napping could become a valuable tool to make up for lost sleep.
Creating the conditions for lasting change
However, for these benefits to actually translate into gains for a company, that rest time needs to be factored into the working day. A successful siesta policy requires a change in company culture. And while introducing “recovery breaks” or creating specific, accessible, and comfortable spaces such as “rest bubbles” can help overcome the negative perceptions still associated with this practice, establishing a corporate culture focused on the well-being of its employees requires, above all, genuine involvement from leaders and managers. Napping should not be seen as a luxury or a whim but a real lever for better performance.
