Between long work hours, stress, insufficient sleep, and anxiety – people are losing sleep. The harmful effects of sleep deficiency are well documented and although an occasional loss of sleep may not cause issues, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to excessive daytime drowsiness, emotional problems, clumsiness, poor job performance, and depression.And if that wasn’t enough, a prolonged sleep-restricted state can cause and weight gain or obesity.
Did I just gain weight?
A Colorado study found that people who slept an average of five hours a night for one week gained an average of two pounds. Late night eating can also add up the pounds, especially because your biological clock and internal physiology are not designed to digest food at night. In the study, researchers found that those who didn’t get enough sleep craved carbohydrates. Anxiety mixed with sleep deprivation can lead to insomnia, which could ultimately lead to late-night eating sessions. Try exercising during the day and snacking on healthy foods before 7:00 p.m. to help prevent eating after bedtime.
Is it time for a nap?
If you’ve been struggling with grogginess, short term memory loss, bad moods, or other problems caused by sleep deprivation, one potential solution may surprise you: a nice mid-day nap. If you’re skeptical, consider how common sleep deprivation is these days. One-third of Americans report sleeping for less than six hours every night. Most adults need about seven to nine hours of sleep every night to be at their best, so less than six hours just isn’t going to cut it. And this lack of sleep causes poor productivity at work. In fact, sleep deficit costs the US economy about $411 billion dollars every year.
Counting sheep isn’t the answer.
So, we can see that Americans need to get some more sleep, right? But can scheduling a little naptime during the day really make a difference in the fight against sleep deprivation? Research suggests that naps can help improve alertness during daytime hours. For example, one study found that airline pilots who take 40-minute naps experience better alertness and faster reaction times. In another study, 30-minute naps helped nurses reduce drowsiness and increase alertness.
Many studies have explored the benefits of napping, both for your health and for your productivity at work. Did you know napping is good for your blood pressure, and may even reduce your risk of a heart attack? Or that napping provides a better energy boost than a cup of coffee? Power naps can also improve your work performance by:
· Enhancing creative thinking
· Improving short-term memory
· Reducing stress
· Lowering the likelihood of burnout
Sleeping at work is a good thing.
Whether you’re in your workplace or taking care of your family at home, sleep deprivation can make it a lot harder to get anything done. Scheduling time for a nap, whether it’s on an as-needed basis or a regular part of your week, could make a profound difference. But it also presents its own challenge: the average workplace is not set up for napping, right? Where are these naps supposed to happen?
One business trend is providing a solution to workplace sleep deprivation: nap bars. A nap bar is a quiet, cozy space where you can a bed for a power nap before getting on with your day. Imagine yourself relaxing inside a calm spa with private beds, and fresh, organic linens and mattresses. Nap bars are proving popular safe haven with a variety of people, from frequent travelers to busy executives to stressed college students. After all, we can all use a little rest and relaxation from time to time, right? And, it’s not just busy worker bees who are fighting sleep deprivation. A number of employers, from Google to NASA, provide spaces for their employees to nap during the day.
A solution for sleep deprivation in Texas can be found at Nap Bar, a white-glove napping facility located in Houston at Rice Village. Since the demand has escalated to corporate America, Nap Bar also offers onsite, in-suite build-outs at companies who want to improve their health and wellness initiatives. With full-time Comfort Concierge on hand during the week to help workers snuggle in for a nap, many companies are seeing an increase in productivity. Nap Bar will also roll out mobile snooze units in downtown, Houston later in the year to help workers leave sleep deprivation in the dust.
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