We’ve all tried and perfected sneaking in a midday nap at work; whether it’s hiding out in the storage room or just sitting back and snoozing in front of the computer. The average American only gets 6.7 hours of sleep every night, which isn’t even close to the recommended amount of 8-9 hours. Sometimes, we just need to close our eyes and doze off.

However, studies have shown that napping at work can increase productivity and make you more alert when working. Some American companies are even changing their personnel rules to allow midday dozing. The U.S. trucking and rail industries have instituted napping policies. In some Asian companies, a nap is actually required.

But how much can a nap really increase productivity? A study by NASA shows that a nap of merely 26 minutes can boost performance by as much as 34 percent. That’s quite a difference. In addition, napping can increase alertness and reaction times and also improve your mood.

If you decide to add a mid-afternoon snooze to your agenda, here are some tips from Dr. Sara C. Mednick, the author of “Take a Nap! Change Your Life.”

The prime time to take a nap is around 2 p.m. Your biological clock actually causes a dip in energy at this time of day. Make sure not to sleep more than 90 minutes; a nap longer than that can interfere with your sleep at night. Also, low light and low noise will help you in falling asleep faster.

If you want your company to take napping a step further, there are businesses that cater exactly to that desire. For example, “MetroNap” offers products that provide comfortable and quiet nap facilities for the workplace. If you’d like more information on MetroNap, check it out here.

MetroNaps

The proof is here, a nap at work increases production and doesn’t diminish it. And if you can’t decide whether sleeping in the workplace is appropriate, how about you sleep on it?