Ways to Take a Nap at Work to Improve Your Productivity

When your sleep pattern is lowered or disturbed, your body goes into a state of complete chaos. Your body begins to feel the fatigue, and then you suffer from reduced alertness and feel sleepy than usual at work. When you mix these two factors with a host of other expected emotional and cognitive metrics, you end up with reduced productivity levels. The simple answer is to take a nap at work. Let’s figure out the benefits of power napping at work and how it works.

Power Nap to Productivity Ratio

It does sound odd when we say ‘take a nap at work,’ but it does have its advantages. Organizations that want to increase their workforce's productivity can benefit from power naps at work as a habit—having more time for personal and professional pursuits allows workers to contribute more to their organizations. It is not uncommon for nappers to be stigmatized and negatively perceived by others around them. The nap time at work problem does not exist everywhere.

In fact, every country has a different approach to it. US and Western societies put a lot of emphasis on appearances, which means naps and relaxation are not part of those appearances. In countries like Spain, Greece, Italy, and other European countries, taking a mid-afternoon nap is traditional or even mandatory for personal health and wellness.

The Japanese maintain the 'inemuri' tradition that emphasizes the importance of taking breaks at work. When they get the chance, they take a nap anywhere, even in the office. The purpose is to prevent burnout, so it's viewed as a form of dedication to their job or benefits of a power nap at work. Japan has many sleeping pods and sleeping office chairs where business people can catch a quick breather.    

How to Power Nap at Your Desk

In many other places, however, you cannot take a nap. There is nowhere to do it. There is no time for it. Or a power nap is replaced by liters of coffee. Nonetheless, there is time to scroll social media sites - often unconsciously to refocus the mind. You might try the sleepless power nap if you want to reduce job stress and fatigue.

Some people have trouble sleeping at night, and naps during the day are not for everyone. They are using workarounds to allow themselves to relax without sleeping. When your energy starts to drain around midday, power napping is the ideal time. We've come up with a few ideas to show you how to power nap at work.

1. Get rid of disruptions

Sit in a quiet place and turn off all your electronic productivity gadgets and devices. You might want to consider wearing earplugs to ensure uninterrupted sleep for 15 minutes. If you’re at work, then simply moving your eyes away from the screen for fifteen minutes will work.

2. Lower caffeine intake

Avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks before your lunch break, or stop it altogether. It keeps you awake and disrupts your sleep and relaxation cycle. If required, get some caffeine just before taking a quick nap. 

3. Get comfortable

You can sprawl across on the sofa and use a cushion for your head in order to get snug. It is definitely better than sleeping with your head on a hard desk or sitting in an awkward chair. To fall asleep quickly, ensure you have a comfortable bed, and the room is at the right temperature.

4. Darken your room

You can take a nap at work if you’re working from home in a dark mode room. It’s impossible to fall asleep easily when you are in a very bright room. If you’re looking to get a nap quickly, try turning off the lights and drawing the curtains or blinds. This process makes the room darker, and you fall asleep instantly. 

5. Plan out short naps

Break up your entire workdays into several shorter naps, preferably earlier in the day. Napping too frequently or for too long later in the day could disrupt your sleep at night. Try to nap for at least 30 minutes before noon. If you have trouble keeping track, our next tip should come in handy.

6. Setup an alarm

Set an alarm clock if you want to take a nap at work for too long or are too tired but still have work to do. This prevents you from falling asleep completely and prevents you from feeling groggy. It also helps you to avoid sleeping difficulties later in the night.

7. Unload your mind

The idea of a power nap is to destress your mind. Ensure that you take your power nap in a calm environment. Tell yourself that you are taking 15 or 30 minutes to relax and think about nothing. You can dedicate the rest of the day to finish up any unfinished business or deal with any other problems.

8. Awake slowly

Some individuals abruptly wake up after taking a nap cycle or power nap and feel sluggish as a result. Sleeping too long can lead to this. Unless you are too disoriented, give yourself a few minutes to wake up fully. Do some arm stretches or breathe in deeply. Splash some water on your face. We think now would be a great time for that coffee!

To ensure that you nap properly, get a good night’s rest. Try taking warm baths to refresh yourself and have dinner on time before falling asleep. You could even try avoiding coffee and alcohol late at night and switch off the TV or smartphone. When you go to bed, make an effort to fall asleep and sleep well. Next morning, you will notice the effects when you feel refreshed on waking and might even need fewer naps.