I hate to be so late in notifying you that a couple weeks ago, March 12th, was National Napping Day. I was probably napping myself when the original notice arrived. Just today, my accountant was here working on monthly reports. I checked with her to be sure I would not be needed for 20 minutes and then disappeared into another room. She was amazed that I just reappeared – all refreshed and ready to go. I find that I function much better if I respond to being tired by taking a short nap – rather than just forcing myself to keep working.
National Napping Day was established “to overcome the prejudicial attitudes that many people have about napping, and to encourage everyone to see that napping as a no cost, no sweat way to improved mood and performance.”
Boston University professor William Anthony, co-author of “The Art of Napping at Work” is encouraging employers and employees to “promote a 20-minute workplace nap and experience the amazing effects it has on productivity, alertness and well being.”
Anthony says Brahms napped at the piano while he composed his famous lullaby. Napoleon napped between battles. Churchill maintained that he had to nap in order to cope with his wartime responsibilities. Geniuses such as Edison and Da Vinci napped. Obviously nappers are in good company.
He would like to see us stop using such phrases as stealing a nap, sneaking a nap, going down for a nap, and caught napping. Nappers have naps. They don’t take, steal, or sneak naps. Nappers don’t go down for a nap, they prepare for a nap. Nappers are never caught napping, because there is no crime to catch. Nappers are merely seen napping.
Do you have a napping story?
Dan Miller's Blog 
April 16, 2008 at 4:18 pm
When I worked temporary in a manufacturing company( 2nd shift) from 4:30 pm to 3:00am I brought a condensed version of the Bible relating to God’s promises. There was a forty five minutes break and two fifteen minutes break ( I suppose to keep everyone awake). It was a real challenge staying awake, but reading God’s promises strengthened me, as well as refreshed me( I tooked short naps in between reading the Bible).
There were concerns about me not taking lunch breaks, but I assured them I am more energized by reading and napping.
April 16, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Dan,
I am a strong believer in naps. In college I took a nap nearly every day. Then, in my first job out of college, I had a great boss who encouraged my napping habit. Three of us worked together all in the same small office, but often we would turn off the lights and I would nap in my chair while the others would work away on their computers. I ultimately found even a better place to nap than in my chair. There was a small “boiler” room that was dark, cool, and the low drum of the hot water heaters would lull me to sleep as I lay on a physical therapist’s massage table. Awesome! How can you beat that? Easy, now I am self-employed and I work from home, so I can nap anytime I want!
Landon
April 17, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Reading your story, I realized that I’m a life time advocate of napping. I remember some less than exciting classes in grammar and high school, where, if done just right, I would take a 5 minute nap. I also remember in college, I would go to the library, where they had the perfect study cubicles – perfect for a nap. A desk top with 4′ walls.
Now that I’m much older, I go to lunch (a car ride to the nearby forest preserve) and either before or after eating, I take a nap. The roughest days are the days where I can’t get away for lunch and I have to remain at my desk.
I’ve found when I’m feeling stressed, taking a nap takes the edge off what ever I’ve agonized over. So when does the rest of America catch up with this thinking?
April 18, 2008 at 2:07 am
I agree whole heartedly. I believe Churchhill said he worked better in the late hours of the night when no one was up to disturb him, so an hourly nap after lunch was his daily routine. It would be awesome if that could be found for me, like my wife used to find in school during the class after lunch! (and she passed with flying colors!)
June 25, 2010 at 9:53 am
I couldn’t agree more..
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