<p>Visitors to Goa must have experienced the the custom of afternoon ‘siesta’ when most establishments are shut in the afternoon from 2 pm to 4 pm. In February 2012 The Supreme Court of India had broadened the ambit of right of life to bring in a citizen's right to sleep peacefully under it. <br /><br /></p>.<p>A citizen has a right to sound sleep because it is fundamental to life, the Supreme Court said. 7 years earlier the same Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of an employee of Pune based company for sleeping on the job.<br /><br />That might appear a little surprising, when the world over companies are acknowledging the importance of workers sleeping during the working day. At last, science has come up with proof that naps during working hours are good for you. People who take at least 3 daytime naps a week lasting 30 minutes or longer cut their risk of dying from a heart attack by 37 per cent, according to a new study by a team of American and Greek researchers. <br /> <br />According to one newspaper report ‘daytime snoozing and siestas is an important part of ‘full–spectrum fitness’. One company actively encourages napping by its employees to ‘give them a break, or a napping area where they can unwind.” <br /><br />Sleeping at work, or a lack of focus due to little or no sleep, affects more employees than most would have thought. With hectic lifestyles, repetitive tasks, stuffy environments and more stress, very few employees are immune to feeling sleepy at some point during the working day. Surveys show that there is nothing unusual about feeling sleepy in the office. One recent online poll of over 21,000 european office workers found that 24 percent had fallen asleep at work, while another 39 percent found it a big challenge at times to stay awake in the office.<br />Sleepy workers are a pricey expense for businesses, since their productivity and the quality of their work is negatively affected, says Herman Daguere who is with the recruitment company that conducted the survey. Employers should encourage workers to take breaks throughout the day. When sleep deprived, people think and move more slowly, make more mistakes and have difficulty remembering things. Lack of sleep is associated with irritability, impatience, anxiety and depression. These problems can upset job and family relationships and cause unnecessary suffering.<br /><br />According to reports, the industry giant Toyota encourages its employees to take rest and nap during the afternoons in its headquarters at Tokyo. In accordance with their policy on energy conservation, the company switches off all lights thereby enabling workers to get some sleep. Various other companies across the world have special nap rooms for their workers, where tired people can rest and work when they are fresh. In China, the law actually guarantees a post lunch snooze. And in Spain, business centres have opened up, where for a small fee workers can relax and even have a nap.<br /><br />The experience of one California consulting firm suggests yet another economic benefit of allowing workers to sleep on the jobs. Since it set up a nap room two years ago, its expenditures on caffeinated soda and coffee have dropped 30 percent!<br /><br />Anyone who thinks that such sleep initiatives represent a kinder, gentler corporate response to employees’ needs should wake up and smell the coffee. It is not an endorsement of an unhurried old World lifestyle, but an effort to get employees to work harder and more productively once they wake up (power sleep, indeed). <br /><br />An increasing number of employees are having less than the recommended eight hours of sleep and are therefore sleep deprived. It is important to keep a regular sleep schedule, even on days off and weekends. Just as you can take steps to ensure a good nights – or day’s - sleep, you could try these steps to stay alert on the job. Take short breaks at work. Try to exercise during breaks take a walk or climb stairs.<br /><br />Don’t leave the most tedious or boring tasks to the end of your shift when you are likely to feel the drowsiest. Try to work with a buddy. Talking to co-workers can help keep you alert. Co-workers can be on the lookout for signs of drowsiness in each other.<br /><br />Exchange ideas with your colleagues on ways to cope with the problem. Set up a support group at work so that you can support and learn from each other.<br /></p>
<p>Visitors to Goa must have experienced the the custom of afternoon ‘siesta’ when most establishments are shut in the afternoon from 2 pm to 4 pm. In February 2012 The Supreme Court of India had broadened the ambit of right of life to bring in a citizen's right to sleep peacefully under it. <br /><br /></p>.<p>A citizen has a right to sound sleep because it is fundamental to life, the Supreme Court said. 7 years earlier the same Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of an employee of Pune based company for sleeping on the job.<br /><br />That might appear a little surprising, when the world over companies are acknowledging the importance of workers sleeping during the working day. At last, science has come up with proof that naps during working hours are good for you. People who take at least 3 daytime naps a week lasting 30 minutes or longer cut their risk of dying from a heart attack by 37 per cent, according to a new study by a team of American and Greek researchers. <br /> <br />According to one newspaper report ‘daytime snoozing and siestas is an important part of ‘full–spectrum fitness’. One company actively encourages napping by its employees to ‘give them a break, or a napping area where they can unwind.” <br /><br />Sleeping at work, or a lack of focus due to little or no sleep, affects more employees than most would have thought. With hectic lifestyles, repetitive tasks, stuffy environments and more stress, very few employees are immune to feeling sleepy at some point during the working day. Surveys show that there is nothing unusual about feeling sleepy in the office. One recent online poll of over 21,000 european office workers found that 24 percent had fallen asleep at work, while another 39 percent found it a big challenge at times to stay awake in the office.<br />Sleepy workers are a pricey expense for businesses, since their productivity and the quality of their work is negatively affected, says Herman Daguere who is with the recruitment company that conducted the survey. Employers should encourage workers to take breaks throughout the day. When sleep deprived, people think and move more slowly, make more mistakes and have difficulty remembering things. Lack of sleep is associated with irritability, impatience, anxiety and depression. These problems can upset job and family relationships and cause unnecessary suffering.<br /><br />According to reports, the industry giant Toyota encourages its employees to take rest and nap during the afternoons in its headquarters at Tokyo. In accordance with their policy on energy conservation, the company switches off all lights thereby enabling workers to get some sleep. Various other companies across the world have special nap rooms for their workers, where tired people can rest and work when they are fresh. In China, the law actually guarantees a post lunch snooze. And in Spain, business centres have opened up, where for a small fee workers can relax and even have a nap.<br /><br />The experience of one California consulting firm suggests yet another economic benefit of allowing workers to sleep on the jobs. Since it set up a nap room two years ago, its expenditures on caffeinated soda and coffee have dropped 30 percent!<br /><br />Anyone who thinks that such sleep initiatives represent a kinder, gentler corporate response to employees’ needs should wake up and smell the coffee. It is not an endorsement of an unhurried old World lifestyle, but an effort to get employees to work harder and more productively once they wake up (power sleep, indeed). <br /><br />An increasing number of employees are having less than the recommended eight hours of sleep and are therefore sleep deprived. It is important to keep a regular sleep schedule, even on days off and weekends. Just as you can take steps to ensure a good nights – or day’s - sleep, you could try these steps to stay alert on the job. Take short breaks at work. Try to exercise during breaks take a walk or climb stairs.<br /><br />Don’t leave the most tedious or boring tasks to the end of your shift when you are likely to feel the drowsiest. Try to work with a buddy. Talking to co-workers can help keep you alert. Co-workers can be on the lookout for signs of drowsiness in each other.<br /><br />Exchange ideas with your colleagues on ways to cope with the problem. Set up a support group at work so that you can support and learn from each other.<br /></p>
