Should Napping Be Included in Daily Work Regime Thesis

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Napping, should it be a part of a daily work regime?

The business world is full of leaders, innovators, and people looking to beat the competition. If someone came and said there was a way to help employees be more productive at no cost to the employer would anyone believe it? The answer is, yes. It has been scientifically proven that naps allow people to achieve more at work or at any mentally challenging task. Should all companies allow napping during work time? Additionally, why do Americans, in contrast to other modern countries, find it so difficult or odd to nap during the day?

It is hard to say because some jobs require people to be alert at all times, leaving little room for breaks, let alone nap time. But for the most part, most companies would stand to benefit allowing employees to nap during the work day. In order to better understand which benefits come from napping and if they can be applied to all situations within the work related fields, one must look at evidence pertaining to napping at work and see how it improves work related activities, etc. Moreover, if there is a universal need for improvement in any work related activity and napping can improve that universal need, than yes, all companies should allow napping during work time.

Increasing evidence shows that a good night's sleep, even a nap where a person gets a little bit of REM or NREM (non-rapid eye movement) will enhance motor-skill memories along with mood. But some jobs do not require enhance motor-skill memories, some might require effective decision making, and/or simply supervising something or someone. Well, evidence suggests napping helps people learn new information. Anyone across any job field can benefit from learning new information faster.

German psychologists have established that sleep enhances retention of memory by making the shift in information storing within the hippocampus easier to perform along with the data transference that takes place into the permanent storage area of the neocortex (Gayomali, 2013, p. 1). They found this out by conducting a survey in which they asked volunteers to study a variety of poems, pictures, and algebra equations. Some were allowed napping, while others were not. After a 40-minute nap, they had an 85% improvement on the memory test than the group that did not nap.

Research shows that lack of sleep decreases brain activity, and increase risk for heart disease. No one wants their employees to be unhealthy, tired, and therefore achieve less during the workday. Naps also allow for improved productivity. If people take even just 20 minute "power naps" it will make up for time lost during long work weeks/days. It also allows for greater ability to handle common job stressors.

Many business require their employees to be creative in their jobs. Chefs need creativity to dazzle restaurant goers who come for delicious and visually appealing food. Teachers need creativity to educate children and inspire them to learn. Naps can help with increasing creativity levels in people:

"Neuroscience researchers from Georgetown University examined the mental spark by monitoring the brain activity of 15 nappers. They discovered that the hemisphere associated with creativity -- the right side, for most people -- "chattered busily to itself as well as to the left hemisphere, which remained relatively quiet," reports CNN (Gayomali, 2013, p. 1).

Another universal benefit to napping is mood improvement. Everyone knows that a good mood promotes better communication, better relationships, and an overall better vibe. Research suggests naps make people feel better, and therefore, have improved moods. As napping provides a refreshment course for the brain it also clears out any "emotional thoughts" that may linger from interactions, activities, and so forth. Companies need people who can handle stress effectively while staying positive. Napping helps achieve that.

In a study by Nishida & Walker (2007) they discuss how monitored two groups of subjects, each trained a motor skill task with only the use of their left hand. Methodology stated: "Both groups trained in the morning and were tested 8 hr later, with one group obtaining a 60 -- 90 minute intervening midday nap, while the other group remained awake"(Nishida & Walker, 2007, p. e341). When groups were assessed for performance levels, the subjects that did not nap resulted in no major performance improvement. The subjects that did nap however, had a significant increase in consolidation enhancement.

The study revealed the nap group showed substantial improvement specifically in relation to global measure of stage-2 NREM sleep.

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Through topographical sleep spindle analysis however, they revealed more accurate correlations:

Specifically, when spindle activity at the central electrode of the non-learning hemisphere (left) was subtracted from that in the learning hemisphere (right), representing the homeostatic difference following learning, strong positive relationships with offline memory improvement emerged -- correlations that were not evident for either hemisphere alone (Nishida & Walker, 2007, p. e341).

Evidence from this study shows, like others that NREM sleep can be useful to improving overall brain function in humans. Furthermore, the results also demonstrated that motor memories, as previously mentioned, are enhanced and improved through daytime napping and are "uniquely associated with electrophysiological events expressed at local, anatomically discrete locations of the brain" (Nishida & Walker, 2007, p. e341).

A lot of companies are beginning to realize the importance of sleep and application of naps during the work day. In an interview with my boss from work, I was able to determine his thoughts on napping during work.

Question: "should our job have a napping time on work to recover performance?"

Answer: "yes, but as long as you clock out and clock back in when you're done. Also you should have gotten a full sleep and a good breakfast, so you won't feel tired and be energized."

Observation: co-worker

I have noticed that many of my co-workers tend to yawn in the middle of the day after lunch. I believe they need a power nap to overcome such drowsy ness. Also they hit a slow process where they tend to work much slower in the middle of the day, a big difference in the morning where they are all energized and ready to tackle the day. Then like at noon they tend to slow down fast (Primary Source)

The interviews from both the coworker and my boss indicated both a need for napping and an allowance of napping. Sleep studies reveal the importance and need for sleep in order for people to function properly. But, is America on the bandwagon for accepting and implementing the importance of naps?

In "Naps" an essay from her book, Endangered Pleasures, Holland promotes the necessity and importance of naps. She also suggests American are afraid of naps. (Holland, 1995, p. 289). American naps are often unilateral with Americans who take naps often feeling awkward with everyone around them busy working. In other countries like France, where the majority view napping as essential, nappers do not feel guilty for napping. "There we lie, visible, and vulnerable on our day lit bed" (Holland, 1995, p.290)

Another reason Americans might also have an issue with napping during the day is due in part to the lack of privacy in their workplace. As Holland states: "Modern offices are not designed for privacy and most of our cubicles have no doors to close any gaps in the portable partitions" (Holland, 1995, p290). People at work do not have a designated place to nap. Napping does not come easy and requires privacy, sometimes darkness, and silence for sleep to truly take effect. If people do not have an adequate area to nap, they'll simply feel like they are wasting time.

Holland also points out that while men are viewed as nappers after coming home from work and crashing on the couch, women do not view napping as an option (Holland, 1995, p. 292). Women often view their home as a workplace and do not feel as though they have the time or differentiate between a rest area and a work area. Understanding why people do not sleep, and what causes these situations, will help better improve napping in the workplace and in the daily lives of Americans in general. Research has proven time and again the importance of sleep in enhancing attention spans, memory retention, motor skill improvement, and overall improvement in mood. With this said, it is often not easy to do in a hectic and busy world.

Americans in particular view sleeping during the day as wasteful and do not have many allowances for napping. Even though a primary interview revealed the need for napping and a boss' understanding for that need, little is done in America to effectively promote napping. Studies and research prove napping is useful, but not enough companies are not listening.

In conclusion, napping has proven to be a great way to enhance brain function. Research also revealed America is too "busy" to nap. Should all companies change their policies and allow.....

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