All we need to know, we learned in kindergarten: Nap time

Remember curling up with your favorite blanket and a pillow while your kindergarten teacher dimmed the lights and, if you were lucky, put on some soothing music?

There’s nothing like a good nap, and according to new research, it may be rejuvenating for adults, as well. One sleep expert told HR Brew how a quick midday nap can help workers not only protect their health, but also become more productive.

Science says. Napping can help brain health, according to a June paper from University College London and the University of the Republic in Uruguay, which found that adults aged 40 to 69 who regularly napped had more brain volume—a positive indicator of brain health and decreased rates of dementia—than those who didn’t nap.

“Our findings suggest that, for some people, short daytime naps may be a part of the puzzle that could help preserve the health of the brain as we get older,” Victoria Garfield, coauthor and senior research fellow at University College London, said in the paper.

Napping during the workday is also linked to cognitive ability, according to a 2021 research paper from University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand in France. “Napping in the afternoon improved cognitive performance, especially for alertness,” the paper found, finding that age and gender did not impact the benefits of napping.

Sleeping at work. Albert Einstein, Aristotle, and John F. Kennedy all reportedly took regular naps. “Given the latest science on the effectiveness of napping and the clear link between employees feeling well rested and their productivity, it’s long past time that businesses embrace short naps at work,” Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO at Thrive Global, told the Guardian.

Roxanne Prichard, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of St. Thomas, told HR Brew that employees may benefit from short naps and will likely be more efficient when they wake up. “A really brief power nap is like 10 to 20 minutes,” she said. “That’s enough to fight fatigue, boost creativity, or boost your mood.”

Prichard added that some employees, including those who are pregnant or new parents, may need to nap more than others, and employers should take that into consideration when thinking about reasonable accommodations for employees. “We’re incredibly sleep-deprived, and focusing on those health measures will have ballooning benefits for all.”

Anna Tavis, clinical professor of human capital management at New York University, told HR Brew that she believes that with flexible work models, napping during the workday will become more common. Workers will rest when they need to be more productive and embrace hours that work for them. “I think we are gradually crawling our way out of the traditional mental models of work, and who is considered to be a good worker.”

Maybe offices can also start installing sound machines and milk warmers...just a thought.