To nap or not to nap at work, that is the question. Controversy is currently simmering in Germany as the country anxiously watches the heat wave hitting neighboring countries.
The idea was sparked by a representative of the medical sector: “When it is hot, we must follow the example of how people in the Global South work: get up early, work productively in the morning and take a nap at noon.”Johannes Nessen, head of the Association of German Public Health Service Physicians (BVÖGD), said in an interview. The proposal was supported by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach who, in a message on Twitter, described this lunch break as Medically suitable for many occupations.With the decision left to companies and their employees.
sequel after announcement
you’re hot ? Our ancestors had tips
In fact, when it’s hot, worker productivity drops, according to a report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MTI), by 1.5 points for every additional degree above 15 degrees. A NASA study also showed an increase in productivity of about 35% for people who regularly take 15-20 minute naps. In France, doctors regularly recall small benefits break.
“France does not have a ‘gossip’ culture”
When it’s very hot, the body works harder to cool itself down, which makes it tired. In the morning, the rise in cortisol provides us with the energy to wake up. However, it fades at noon, giving way to a decline in attention. What doctors call the “sleep window of opportunity.” Therefore, they recommend a short rest period between one o’clock in the afternoon and three in the evening, without going into a deep sleep.
There are several types of naps. At work, a short nap, such as a “lightning” nap, is preferred: Five minutes, when we have a stroke, we lie down in an armchair in the doorway, sleep for a few minutes, and recover Details with neuroscientist Dr. Marie Lacroix. But she made the connection between sleep and work, but she regrets the negative view that some people still hold on naps. ” I know people who lock themselves in the toilet [pour faire la sieste]so as not to judge them She adds, aghast. Same note for Dr. Jonathan El Tayeb, sleep specialist at the Medical Institute of Sleep in Paris, and at the Hôpital-Dieu. France does not have a ‘siesta’ culture.
” Heat, dry, not concentrated He remembers. During a heat wave or when it’s hot out, a sleep doctor recommends sipping fluids before taking a nap, or taking “caffeinated” naps to make sure you avoid decreased alertness. After a 20-30 minute nap, the body “recovers”, and coffee takes about 30 minutes to work: our body will thus be twice as alert. Because during a heat wave, sleep deprivation increases (more restless sleep and longer time to fall asleep) and so is napping. More useful for maintaining safety and focus, especially in industrial or construction trades where the risk of accidents is high after vigilance is reduced Dr. Lacroix concludes, although he is well aware that some professions, without a suitable place, cannot afford it. Like Germany, is France ready to open the debate?
sequel after announcement
Heat Peaks: What Are Their Effects On Our Bodies?
“We’re not at all hostile to napping.”
” We are not hostile at all to naps, on the contrary, but we start from the employees according to their working conditions explains Hadrin Clouet, LFI vice president of Haute-Garonne. Above all, the party wants to adapt the labor law to the hot weather. As for environmentalists, they are proposing on Wednesday, July 19, to incorporate a right of opt-out from 33 degrees Celsius, the limit at which risks to workers are demonstrated according to the National Institute for Research and Safety (INRS). ” The ultimate goal is to have such a tool that makes it possible to perform the adaptation of working conditions Especially in peak heat times, details Cyril Chatelain, MP for Isère under the Nupes coalition. The idea of a siesta must therefore gain traction.
Why sleep is (too) a social construct
In Germany, the Federation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) has not rejected the measure, suggesting a reform of working time to allow for more flexibility. “This may include longer lunch breaks, if possible from a business operations perspective and if employees and employers agree.”BDA thought.
