Why You Need a Nap

A pregnant Christina Applegate has come out in favor of naps — lots of them. The 38-year-old actor, who won our hearts as the snippy Kelly Bundy on Married with Children, told USA Today, "I love the deep sleeps you go into in the middle of the day."

She's not the only one. More Americans are napping, even at the office, as studies show the benefits. A brief nap can boost creativity and aid problem-solving, while increasing our productivity during the work day.

According to Businessweek,

With Americans averaging fewer than seven hours of sleep per night—and around 20 percent suffering from sleepiness during the day, according to a recent Stanford University study—many companies have turned to the humble nap in an attempt to stave off billions in lost productivity each year. Following the rise of workplace perks like lactation rooms, gyms, and child-care facilities, Nike workers now have access to nap-friendly "quiet rooms" that can also be used for meditation. Google , a forerunner in employee perks, has a number of futuristic napping pods scattered throughout its Mountain View campus.

Some of us have actually closed the door to our office and lain down on the floor to catch some ZZZs. If you don't have an office with a door, grabbing a quick nap is much harder. Here are some tips to finesse the issue:

Rely on your cell phone. You don't want to be like golfer Jim Furyk, who recently missed his tee time during the PGA Tour when his phone's battery died. Make sure your battery is charged and you can hear the alarm, then set it for 15 or 20 minutes, enough time for a refreshing nap but not so long you seem missing in action on the job.

Find your cozy place. Regular retreats to a place that's private will soon get you in the habit of falling easily to sleep. Your employer probably does not provide napping pods, so you need to be creative. Make friends with someone on the maintenance crew and ask if there's an unused room where you can go. If you drive to work, there's always your car. Put up a windshield screen and put the seat back. If your company has a library or media room, use it to sneak a nap.

Try honesty. If you think your manager and co-workers might accept the idea of your getting a little shut-eye, be upfront with them about your need to nap. Print out a couple of articles showing how napping can make you smarter and enhance learning. You may find allies in making your workplace nap-friendly.