Studio NL, A Greek Architecture Firm, Created A Bed-Desk Hybrid; The Health Benefits Of Napping At Work
Everyone knows getting the proper amount of sleep is crucial to your health. The long-term effects of sleep deprivation are well documented, but depriving yourself of sleep can lead to junk food cravings, memory loss, heart disease, and even death. However, in this 24/7/365 world, sometimes you just can't find the time to throw the blankets over your head and snooze for the recommended seven to eight hours a night. If you’re one of those people who just can’t get some shut-eye because you are always working, a Greek company called Studio NL created a prototype desk that breaks apart to reveal a bed underneath.
The bed starts out looking like an ordinary desk, but a panel folds down to reveal a mattress with enough space for a decent-sized human, and even a TV if that’s what you need to fall asleep.
While napping during work isn’t an original concept, with companies like Google, Zappos, and Ben & Jerry’s all having “nap rooms” for their employees, the idea of a desk that actually converts into a bed seems to be.
Though there is a stigma that napping might be lazy, it’s actually just like everything else. From smoking to eating trans fat, to exercising, if napping is done in moderation, it can actually prove beneficial to you. Here are some of the benefits that napping provides:
Reduces Stress and Boosts the Immune System
A study published in Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that a 30-minute nap can reverse the negative effects of a poor night’s sleep. It can also help return your biomarkers of neuroendocrine and immune health back to your normal levels.
Boosts Productivity
Sleep experts have found that a 30- to 90-minute nap can actually increase our productivity over the course of our work day. To even further increase productivity, employees should be encouraged to daydream and even keep a notebook handy to write down their thoughts and dreams once they awake.
Increases Memory
Whether you have a huge test that day or the most important PowerPoint of your life to present, you want to make sure you remember everything. Research has found that an hour-long nap can improve your memory, as well as help you remember items like passwords, names, and phone numbers.
So, the next time you find yourself drifting off in a meeting or at your desk, instead of grabbing another cup of coffee or downing your third Five-Hour Energy drink, set your alarm for 30 minutes into the future and shut your eyes. When you wake, you’ll be ready to get back to work. Be careful, however, not to nap for too long. It can result in poor sleep later on, loss of cognitive ability, and sleep inertia — which is a better term for that groggy feeling you get after waking up.