Is it normal to feel sleepy in the afternoon when you are hunched in front of your computer at work, or is it just pure laziness on your part?
According to research, feeling sleepy in the afternoon is absolutely normal. It is not always because of a heavy meal, laziness, tiredness or depression. There are two cycles of sleep in animals and although everyone is wired physiologically different, we humans also have the tendency to want to close our eyes for a few minutes during the day.
Naps provide different benefits. For instance, a short nap of less than 15 minutes will improve concentration, mood and coordination. A ‘long’ nap of over an hour will get you into REM sleep, which enhances creativity.
These naps are also helpful in this busy world of getting inadequate sleep where an average worker gets less than 8 hours of sleep daily. In the larger cities, the average Nigerian wakes up at 4 am, leaves the house at 5 am to beat the traffic, starts work at 8 and doesn’t get home until 9pm.
The ideal duration of a daily nap should be 20minutes. Naps are not advisable close to bedtime as they could lead to insomnia.
Should workplaces have scheduled times and rooms for naps? Absolutely! Naps have been said to improve mood, creativity, memory function and heart health. The output and wellbeing of each employee is of utmost importance.
