If you hit the sack while at work, what should you reasonable expect? The sack, obviously. No Indian manager will wink at any of his employees taking 40 winks.

 That’s not strictly true. At Infosys, they have been experimenting with Power Naps —  that 30-minute break between two sessions of intense work. In some professions —  being an air hostess, for instance — breaks between shifts are mandatory. But that’s because you can’t very well go home during a long-haul flight between Mumbai and New York.
 Abroad, the Power Nap has established itself as a perk that pays, at least in terms of productivity. Google has Sleep Stations to give a break to overworked employees. The special sleep stations, called EnergyPods, have been created by a company styled MetroNaps. Google is not alone. Several smaller companies —  where you need only one for the CEO —  have installed the EnergyPods. The company was founded by Bangladeshi Arshad Chowdhury.

 For some companies, it is a question of the products they sell. You wouldn’t suspect that of ITC. After all, its mainline wares are cigarettes, which are designed more to keep you awake than sleep. But ITC is also into hotels and that is where it is “selling sleep”. Research has shown that you will give a hotel top marks for the food at its restaurants, you will make full use of the business centre instead of going to the branch office, but you will return to stay only if you get a good night’s sleep. 

ITC director Nakul Anand said in an interview: “Little has changed for today’s business traveller. In a different city and a different environment from morning until night, they basically need the hotel just to catch up on their sleep. You can offer the finest services and the greatest cuisines housed in the most stunning architecture, but if you haven’t slept well, the purpose of your visit is completely defeated.”

 At Philips, sleep is something they sell too, but in a different way. On the World Sleep Day in March, one should pledge to sleep better, says the company. Philips produces a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic products to tackle apnea, defined as “a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep”. GE Healthcare also has a range for “ventilation and assistive-breathing solutions”.

 These are, of course, home or hospital solutions. In India, the Sleep Pod has not entered the office as yet. In some companies, senior executives have a retiring room. But India needs more attention to sleep. A study by Expedia puts India near the top when it comes to sleep deprivation. Internal research is more focused. A study by researchers at the Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, in Gujarat has found that Gujarati youth become fat if they get their less-than-seven hours of sleep every night. But, as the authors admit, you have to extend this to the rest of India to draw meaningful conclusions. Meanwhile, two “entrepreneurs” in the Netherlands have started a Google Naps. This is a listing of the best public places to take a nap. At this point, it is a parody of Google Maps. But if enough people submit their favourite sleeping spots, it could develop. Last heard, the Rajya Sabha was a favourite.

EYES WIDE SHUT

Types and tips for naps

Types

Planned napping
Emergency napping
Habitual napping

Tips 

A short nap is usually recommended for short-term alertness
Pay attention to your sleep environment
Avoid noise; put temperature at comfort  level
Don’t take a nap too     late in the day

Source: Adapted from National Sleep Foundation