THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR – YOU REALLY SHOULD NAP MORE

Remember being forced to take a nap as a kid when all you wanted to do was play? Torture! Now, an adult, when you're constantly on the run, wouldn't an afternoon nap be a welcome treat? A luxury, even? Just a few minutes with a soft pillow in your cubicle would be heavenly some days.

As we all know, and studies show, “adulting” is tiring, and we want our naptime back. A 2017 Gallup poll indicated that 40% of American adults are sleep deprived, 26% of Canadian workers have called in sick related to sleep deprivation and 2/3rds of Canadians report feeling tired most of the time. Yet sadly, adult napping is often considered a vocation of the lazy, unproductive and un-ambitious.

And, while it's a fact that a 10-30-minute nap can recharge you without leaving you drowsy upon waking, most employers frown upon napping on the job.

But nappers, take heart! You have simply been visionaries ahead of your time. Rentable napping pods and nap cafes are the new trend in cities around the world, including airports and malls in Canada and America. All backed by scientific research you can take to your boss. Here are 6 proven reasons why you need a nap today:

1. Sleep helps you store memories and process what you've learned. Maybe you used this to your advantage in school, studying before bed. It works with afternoon naps as well. So, a nap after a seminar or long meeting is just the thing to retain information.
2. Job performance decreases as the day wears on. A nap refreshes you and helps your performance remain consistent.
3. Napping recharges your mood. Happier people make happier workplaces.
4. A nap is a stress reliever, and relieving stress improves your overall health and immune system. Better health means fewer sick days.
5. Napping is good for your heart. It can help lower your blood pressure after you’ve been on hold with tech support all morning.
6. REM sleep primes your creativity (although the 90+ minutes needed to achieve REM sleep might be awkward at work. Especially if you snore.)

So, point your boss to the many articles and You Tube videos showcasing the progressive Arianna Huffington, who has put nap rooms in at the office of the Huffington Post.  Employees are encouraged to recharge with a short nap - no shame assigned.  Nappers go ahead, find a comfortable quiet place where you can control the lighting and catch a few Z's. Or hang a Do Not Disturb sign on your office door and shut off the lights. You'll wake refreshed and readier to tackle that next meeting.

As you drift off, you can rest assured that you are in good company. Famous nappers (alleged) include Winston Churchill, Napoleon, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison, to name a few.

So nappers, unite! And maybe wipe that drool off your keyboard.