Studies have shown that a 20-30 minute nap increases alertness and productivity. A 30-60 minute nap increases memory and creativity, and improves decision making skills. The National Sleep Foundation recommends taking a daily nap of at least 20-30 minutes. The research on the catastrophic effect of employee burnout is all pretty clear, as is the research on the importance of sleep. However, the corporate wellness industry has not yet figured out how to address this problem effectively.
Some innovative companies like Zappos and The Huffington Post have taken matters into their own hands, purchasing expensive Nap Pods and placing them in designated ‘Nap Rooms!’ While this is a huge win in terms of shifting the national dialogue around sleep, it is actually a costly endeavor that fails to solve the problem. Besides the fact that a Nap Room only has space for a few nappers at a time, those occupying the Nap Pods are often just glued to their phone screen scrolling through Facebook, instead of being glued to their computer screen, scrolling through email. Needless to say, this is not the most productive use of downtime, but this is what most people think relaxation is, when in fact, this is dissociation. It’s a simple fact: when the brain is being visually stimulated, it is engaged in processing sensory data. This is not physically or mentally relaxing. It is rarely understood that relaxation is actually a learned skill. My primary corporate wellness offering Sleep Class helps your employees learn what true relaxation feels like, in the body and mind.
Sleep Class Solves the Problem
After spending some time testing out various meditation practices in the corporate environment, I have discovered that Sleep Class is actually what most people need. Most people are underslept, overscheduled and overwhelmed. It is a commonly accepted fact within the scientific community that long term stress is directly correlated with a decrease in immune system functioning, leading to a wide range of stress-related illnesses.
Sleep Class functions like an office power nap, but it is actually a powerful deep relaxation meditation. Practiced from a lying down position, a 25-35 minute session ensures that your employees receive all the benefits of a nap but without any of that post-nap grogginess.
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Consider the cost/benefit analysis of offering your employees Sleep Class vs creating a Nap Room. One Nap Pod costs $800 per month to rent or $13k to purchase. In Los Angeles, hiring a Sleep Class facilitator for one year to guide hundreds of your employees to a state of deep rest costs less than buying or renting one Nap Pod. Additionally, when you convert a conference room to a Nap Room, you permanently lose the use of that room for other purposes.
Whether it’s once a month, once a week, or daily, Sleep Class helps employees learn how to rest and relax. In addition to being a natural method for managing jetlag, insomnia, and work-related anxiety, Sleep Class improves creativity and whole brain functioning, memory and learning capacity, and improves immune system functioning, leading to fewer missed days and worker’s comp claims. It can also significantly improve office morale, building a company culture with more empathy and fewer stress-driven, emotionally charged interactions.
Long term, Sleep Class helps to regulate the sleep cycle, lower the blood pressure, release deeply stored physical tension, minimize headaches, and reduce anxiety. It even helps in managing chronic pain and the psychological difficulties associated with PTSD. Contact me today to discuss setting up a regular Sleep Class at your office.
