Long perceived as a sign of laziness or lack of professionalism, napping at work is starting to make its way into the habits of some pioneering companies. And rightly so! The benefits of this micro-rest, when practiced well, are now documented and validated by scientific research. Beyond the clichés, it could well be a real lever for performance and well-being for organizations.

A cultural practice with many faces 

While in France, napping at the office is often marginal or associated with startups and innovative companies, the realities vary greatly from one country to another. In China, for example, the right to nap is enshrined in the Constitution. It's common to see employees briefly dozing off at their workstations after lunch. In Spain, the traditional siesta is part of popular culture, although its practice has diminished with the evolution of work patterns. In other Mediterranean countries or in Latin America, the mid-day outage remains frequent and socially accepted. On the other hand, in many Anglo-Saxon countries, where the culture of presenteeism still largely dominates, taking a nap at work is often poorly perceived, even taboo.

These cultural differences illustrate how much our relationship to sleep, and more broadly to well-being in the workplace, is shaped by our imaginations and our social norms. However, science is now clear about the benefits of napping on our cognitive and physical abilities.

The proven benefits of an adapted rest period 

The numbers speak for themselves: according to a study conducted by NASA, a nap of 10 to 30 minutes increases productivity by 34% and alertness by 54%. And that's good, napping is an integral part of our biological rhythm! Our body naturally emits a drowsiness signal in the early afternoon, regardless of the quality of our night's sleep. A short nap then allows you to recover effectively, avoiding plunging into a deep sleep that would interfere with wakefulness later on.

But that's not all! Increased alertness and concentration, improved cognitive performance, better memorization, increased creativity and productivity, resistance to stress... We can no longer count the benefits of getting enough rest on our cognitive abilities as they are so numerous. In a context where nearly a third of French people sleep less than six hours a night (well below the recommended seven and a half hours), napping could become a valuable tool to compensate for accumulated sleep deficits.

Creating the conditions for lasting change 

However, for these benefits to really translate into gains for the company, the organization of work and the environment must be thought out accordingly.

Because the success of a nap policy is based above all on a change in collective outlook. And while the introduction of "recovery breaks" or the creation of dedicated, accessible and comfortable spaces such as "rest bubbles" can help overcome the negative representations still associated with this practice, the creation of a corporate culture focused on the well-being of its employees requires above all the real involvement of leaders and managers.

Napping should not be perceived as a luxury or a whim: it is a real lever for overall performance for everyone.