# How widespread is "power napping"at work? Does it work? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 12, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179 "2009-08-12T14:33:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/21 "2009-08-12T18:27:58Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I’m salaried too - you still get federally mandated breaks. Yes, but for me they aren’t scheduled. I just wander away from my desk whenever I need to. Or post on the Dope… ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/22 "2009-08-12T18:33:09Z")
I’ve never heard of anyone doing this on a consistent basis. I’ve done it about three times, twice when I was in the early months of pregnancy and exhausted. Rolled up my coat for a pillow and snoozed under my desk! The third time I had a hideous sinus headache and laid down until the painkillers kicked in, and fell asleep for 15 or 20 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/23 "2009-08-12T20:25:27Z")
Nobody I know of has done this except when not feeling well. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/24 "2009-08-12T21:37:38Z")
God, I wish. I have done this occasionally, or I used to sleep in my car between classes when I was in college, and every time I woke up feeling so much better than when I woke up that morning. I wish we’d adopt a culture of quality over quantity when it comes to work. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Surb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Surb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Surb)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/25 "2009-08-12T21:41:52Z")
On my recent trip to China, all of the Chinese people in the office had an hour lunch. They ate for half an hour and slept for the other half. I went around taking pictures of them to show to my colleagues here :D. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/26 "2009-08-12T21:47:00Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Do you guys not get your federally mandated breaks? A lot of people where I work spend them napping in the staff room, and sometimes I’ll put my head down on my desk for mine if I don’t feel like going down there. You’re _supposed_ to not be working for fifteen minutes. Honestly, I know very few salaried people who get their federally mandated breaks. Management just figures, since you’re not in retail or on a production line or something, your job isn’t that all-consuming, and you’re likely to have some downtime. Then they yell at people if they see them not working. ---
**Author:** ![Emmy2635](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/919ad9/32.png) [@Emmy2635](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emmy2635)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/27 "2009-08-12T21:47:33Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I’m salaried too - you still get federally mandated breaks. Breaks are not federally mandated, they vary from state to state. My state, for example, requires only one 30-minute lunch period and does not require any 15-minute breaks. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/28 "2009-08-12T21:51:09Z")
In some Google and Electronic Arts offices I understand they actually have rooms with bunks in them for quick naps (so long as you work your hours before you actually leave and all). Granted if you’ve seen the pictures of some of the rooms in Google’s buildings this probably wouldn’t surprise you. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/29 "2009-08-12T22:06:55Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Do you guys not get your federally mandated breaks? Reiterating, there’s no such thing as a federally mandated break of any sort, and [many states don’t have any requirement for even meal breaks, let alone rest breaks, for adults](http://www.workplacefairness.org/breaks_statelaws?agree=yes). ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/30 "2009-08-12T22:25:38Z")
> [@toadspittle](#): > > Honestly, I know very few salaried people who get their federally mandated breaks. Management just figures, since you’re not in retail or on a production line or something, your job isn’t that all-consuming, and you’re likely to have some downtime. Then they yell at people if they see them not working. Well, I do work a salaried position that involves somebody covering the desk, so I suppose that’s part of it. And every so often we get these asinine e-mails about breaks being taken between 10 and 11:30 so that the staff room is free for the people at lunch, and likewise in the afternoon, etc. Which is dumb - there’s plenty of space in the staff room and nobody really worries about it. But we do take our breaks. ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/31 "2009-08-12T22:32:22Z")
I don’t actually nap, but during my lunch break I often turn off the lights, put my head down (on my arms) on my desk, and zone out for 10 or 15 minutes. My colleagues see door-shut/lights-out and call it my power nap and know not to interrupt. Really, I’m not sleeping, just letting some relaxation wash over me so I can face the afternoon refreshed. I always set a timer, just in case I do drop off for real someday. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/32 "2009-08-12T23:47:01Z")
The only place I’ve seen this happen was with the phone company - union workers. To be fair, they only did it on breaks (meaning a 15 minute nap at most) or during their lunch hour. So they weren’t technically sleeping on the job. And in the 6 or so years I worked there, I only saw 2 or 3 regulars doing this with any regularity. It was always the same few people sacked-out on the sofas in the break room. > [@](#): > > what makes a brief nap so controversial? Because it suggests that you’re moonlighting and therefore not getting enough sleep at night to be able to come in and do your job properly. If I saw any of my people napping (even on a break), I’d be concerned that something was burning them out. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/33 "2009-08-13T01:13:51Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I’m salaried too - you still get federally mandated breaks. In the US? Because, according to my state’s website, it is done at a state level, not federal. And, in my state, it isn’t required. I wish I could find the site. But my sister tried to get her mandated breaks, and that’s what she what she was told. A national union might be able to get it for you, though… As for the effectiveness of power napping: the problem I see is that. for most people, it is not that easy to go to sleep that quickly. i know that I would have just gotten to sleep after the time I’m supposed to be up. And I am usually still tired for a little while after I wake up. My conversations with others seem to indicate this is not abnormal. ETA: I see my first point was already made. It’s funny that people assume laws that aren’t really there. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/34 "2009-08-13T02:40:57Z")
I used to brown-bag my lunch, eat it in the car where I could read and listen to the radio, then crank back for a 15-20 minute snooze. Really does recharge the batteries, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179/35 "2009-08-13T03:06:21Z")
I don’t work in an office, but rather provide in-home service to three different families, so it’s easy for me to take naps in my car during break time between clients. I’m like a sailor, I can fall asleep at any time at the drop of a hat, and wake up perfectly alert. If I have five minutes, I’ll take a nap. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-widespread-is-power-napping-at-work-does-it-work/506179.md?page=1)