In a time where companies are really starting to notice mental health and employee wellness, you may be in search of a company that truly values your wellness and doesn't just say that they do. One way companies can put their money where their mouths are is by being pro-nap.
Napping has been demonized in America as being a sign of the lazy, however, other countries have embraced napping and shutting down in the middle of the day. The understand the biology of the midday cortisol drop. Cortisol is your stress hormone that helps keep you alert and activated. It drops after lunch, so that post-lunch energy dip that you feel is actually very normal.
Short, 30-minute naps are very beneficial for giving you a quick energy bump and improving creativity. This can increase workplace productivity and can actually benefit your health by reducing your chances of stroke, heart attack or heart failure.
So who are the companies who work with your body, instead of against it? Continue reading to find out to see if any of them are a good fit for you.
Google offers nap pods from MetroNaps which are available for employees who are looking for a private place to sleep. They are shaped like Pac-Dots that Pacman eats. The office nap pods include a privacy visor, a pre-programmed 20-minute nap setting, speakers and a timer to wake you up.
Huffington Post
Huffington Post is another company that encourages sleep in their office sleep pods. The co-founder of The Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington, said that at first employees were a little apprehensive about using them, but now they are in high demand because of how much a 20 minute nap can improve their lives.
Cisco
MetroNaps pods are apart of the Cisco Campus as well, just like Google, another IT Company. Not only do they have these pods, but they also have a fitness center that has a pilates studio, spin, and yoga. Cisco really is putting their employees' health at the forefront by offering them these amenities.
Ben & Jerry's
Ben and Jerry's employees may have the best benefits of all. In addition to getting to take home 3 pints of ice cream a day, they can also get a nap in during the day. Quality of life and providing space and time for naps is another way for the company to value and take care of their employees. Employees have access to a nap room for employees to take a 20-minute snooze. There is also an on-site gym with yoga classes.
Across its many global campuses, Facebook gives their employees many places to rest. The London and Seattle offices have Podtime nap pods that have sliding doors for privacy, reduce noise, and have mattresses for a comfortable sleep.
Uber
Studio O + A are the designers for the nap spaces at Uber's San Francisco headquarters. The goal of the rooms, as stated by head designer Denise Cherry, Uber was tasked with building a space for maximum efficiency that would provide their employees with so many amenities they wouldn't feel the need to leave. This includes a kitchenette, and nap rooms.
Zappos
Zappos employees have a room called The Tank which is a community nap room with a 25-foot, 2500-gallon saltwater aquarium. Each of the room's four massage chairs has a curved hood so employees can lie back and have the serene experience of watching the fish swim above them.
The number one priority of this company is to provide excellent customer service or building a long-term brand that will just happen on its own by nurturing the employees who will make the company so great. Zappos employees can nap during lunch, work breaks, and whenever they need a quick recharge.
There are many benefits of napping at work, and those who do not allow naps are at higher risk of decreased productivity, increased absences at work, increased risks of errors and workplace accidents, higher health care costs, and company financial loss.
If you can work at a place that allows naps, then that can be a great temporary boost. But if you find yourself being overwhelmingly tired, then that might be a sign of an underlying problem. Please click the orange button below to take a free online sleep test and get in contact with one of our sleep health professionals.
https://www.sleep.org/sleep-hygiene/5-companies-encourage-power-napping/