[sleep & stress] you can’t afford to ignore this

If you are the here, there, everywhere type – then you can’t afford to ignore relaxation. I wrote on this some time ago. Now there is a survey touching on it: Most Australian bosses believe a nap in the middle of the day helps productivity, helping workers stay more alert after a sleepless night and potentially saving companies millions. John Banks, director of recruitment and human resources company Talent2, said today lost productivity through lack of sleep was costing companies a fortune. One study in the United States showed that $18 billion a year in lost productivity could be attributed to sleep deprivation. Female bosses were more understanding of the effects, with 72 per cent saying they would allow the midday siesta, compared with 67 per cent of male bosses. Mr Banks said : "I've spent a lot of time in Spain and Italy where the siesta is alive and well and the shops shut in the early afternoon then re-open around 6pm at night and go until midnight." A better idea I've studied is for 20 minute naps strategically scheduled for certain times of the day. There is evidence that it is the way to go. But it must be both scheduled and sacrosanct.