Workplace Napping Day was 43 days, ie 1 month and 12 days ago.
In 2024 Workplace Napping Day was on 11th March (Monday).
Napping is a great way to regenerate the body. Italians know this, who prefer to rest in the form of a siesta during the day. However, it is not only in southern countries that the charm of taking a nap has been appreciated. Recently, on March 12th, we celebrate Workplace Napping Day. In the United States, however, this holiday falls on the first Monday after the spring break (in North American countries, summer time is introduced on the second Sunday of March).
History of Workplace Napping Day
The tradition of Workplace Napping Day has its origins in the United States, and supporters of this idea, citing research, stress the impact of a few minutes' sleep during the day on improving mood and productivity. Among other things, they were aware of the influence of taking a nap on general well-being: Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, Napoleon Bonaparte, Leonardo da Vinci, John Davison Rockefeller. Barack Obama himself admitted that a 15-minute rest during the day allows him to regenerate.
In many countries a nap at work is welcome. In Japan, an employee who takes a break to sleep is seen as slowing down to be even more efficient and effective soon. In China, on the other hand, the right to a 30-minute snooze at work is a constitutional right. The local doctors and psychologists believe that this form of relaxation will help the employee to perform his or her duties better and more efficiently.
In the Mediterranean countries – Italy, Spain or Greece – the siesta season occurs around noon. Shops and offices are closed, and squares depopulated. The management of an Austrian bank encourages its employees to take 20 minutes' naps during working hours. The inspiration came from a well-known neurologist, who proves that as many as 1/3 of Austrians suffer from sleep disorders, which negatively affects efficiency and productivity at work.
In the USA, on the other hand, employee fatigue brings economic losses of 150 billion dollars a year. So there is a resting place in more than one office – so-called nap rooms. Usually these are small rooms with beds, eye shields, headphones with relaxing music and alarm clocks. Capsules have also appeared on this market, which with the use of sound and visual effects, make it easier for employees to fall asleep at any time. After 20 minutes, the change of tone and lighting wakes up the employee. In Poland, however, in most companies, a snooze at work is not advisable, even on Workplace Napping Day.