The Importance of Naps at Work

TAKING A NAP AT YOUR WORKPLACE TO AVOID ACCIDENTS

There are times when you have a night when you get little sleep. When you get up, you feel groggy and unable to think properly. That first cup of coffee might help you for an hour or two, but then you feel tired once again while at work. If you are running heavy-duty machinery, you could push the wrong button, or you might not look to both sides or to the back before operating that machine, especially if it is a mobile unit. Someone behind you does not get out of the way in time and gets injured.

While office work may not seem dangerous, if you are pulling data reports and entering in new data information, adding an extra ‘0’ in a spreadsheet cell, will change the value of this week’s sales report. If not discovered in time, running weekly reports will give you incorrect data, which could also change outcomes like inventory amounts, supply chain problems, and financial accounts that do not add up.

Your thinking processes are slower, and it takes longer to get things done. You also cannot evaluate that there is a problem in plain sight when you are not sharp and attentive enough to see it. Lack of sleep and productive rest means you do not do a good job for your employer. You could also be a danger to your employer. One way to solve this problem is to take a 15 minute to half-hour nap during your lunch hour.

RESEARCH TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT VALUE OF NAPS

In a research study in 2019, 452 low-income workers in Chennai, India, underwent a research program, divided into three groups. The first group received treatments for attaining better nighttime sleep while the second group took naps at work. The third group was the control group, meaning there was nothing provided to them which set the benchmark for the study.

All groups received savings boxes where their daily salary was deposited to either remain in the box or distributed to them. The key for saving money was that daily interest rates were included at 0-2 percent. Groups 1 and 2 received wearable monitoring for tracking when they slept and were allowed to borrow earplugs and eye masks.

The outcome showed the first and third groups showed little to no interest in saving money but those who took naps at work did. This was particularly important if they were working on cognitively demanding tasks, which showed a rise of 2.3 percent in production.

Another research study, using secondary research based on night and shift workers, showed that shift workers had a reduction in cognitive performance as the hours passed. The categories tested were processing speed, working memory, psychomotor vigilance, cognitive control, and visual attention according to the study. As nighttime is considered the normal time to sleep, the body clock is likely interrupted from getting normal sleep when working those hours, especially if nap times are not allowed.

CONVINCING YOUR EMPLOYER THAT YOU NEED NAPS

If you have sleep apnea or other related problems, visit your doctor for help. Depending on the cause of your problems, you may also get workers’ compensation for medical bills. Call an Arizona workers’ compensation attorney to find out more about this type of claim. Older workers may benefit more than younger workers, but all who have a chance to nap when tired will benefit from taking a nap during the day.

Present a proposal to your employer, based on research studies and outcomes, that prove your case for having that nap. Add how the employer’s insurance company also benefits by having fewer accidents due to lack of sleep. It costs much less to allow employees to take naps (at scattered times), than having to pay out medical benefits for injuries and loss of working time on the job.

WHEN YOU NEED HELP FILING YOUR CLAIM

Arizona Injury Law Group offers experienced and certified workers’ compensation lawyers and legal services for injured workers. Call for your free consultation! 480-300-7273.