We’ve all been there. Sitting in an early afternoon meeting, propping our heads up with an exhausted palm and nodding off every time someone says the world “quarterly.” But the thought of taking a nap at the office, maybe in a comfortable hammock, is far too ludicrous to ever be considered as a viable option, right?
You couldn’t be more wrong! Not only is sleeping in the office good for you, it’s also easier than ever with hammocks that you can attach to the underside of your desk. And while this seems like the pipe dream of a Swiss Family Robinson fan, it’s actual possible, thanks to a 19-teen year old student at the Ontario College of Art and Design. The product is cleverly named Schnap, which is derived from their slogan, “A nap in a snap.” The hammock comes in a small carrying case that doubles as a pillow and provides customers with the clamps to attach it to a desk near you.
If you are the kind of person that is able to stay awake through an entire day, well congratulations. Stop rubbing it in our faces and understand that every month, according to a National Sleep Foundation poll, 29 percent of employees fall asleep or become very sleepy at work. The poll also showed that 12 percent of workers were late to work because of sleepiness. But with an afternoon nap in a comfortable Schnap hammock, your entire sleep schedule will be changed for the better.
This kind of product probably makes employers and professors around the world cringe. But with research on the side of cat-nappers, it won’t be long before a mid-afternoon nap is part of everyone’s day. Just ask a doctor.
“Daytime drowsiness can affect mood, productivity, and creativity, but a brief nap may provide greater alertness for several hours to help improve attention, concentration and accuracy,” says David Neubauer, M.D., associate director of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center.
While the product is still in development and looking for investors, the need for a product like this is more than obvious. Companies around the world are trying to find ways to combat the many forms sleeplessness can take. Apple is even rolling out their “Night Shift” feature to keep the blue light from ruining your evening. And with research backing up the idea that sleep-deprived people are at high risk for chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes and depression, these hammocks can’t come soon enough.
Photo: Schnap