A short nap or exposure to bright light increases intellectual abilities. The ideal solution to boost productivity at work.
The followers of the after lunch nap at the office have a new shocking argument to convince their boss. A recent study, published in PLoS One, confirms the benefits of a nap on productivity. But if this strong argument does not (still) convince, blue light is an effective alternative to the nap.
A team of Belgian and Swiss researchers invited 15 well-rested participants to take a nap for 30 minutes or watch a documentary. Another group of 10 volunteers also watched a show but exposed to blue light or dim orange light.
Relaxed therefore more efficient
The researchers then gave them 3 tests during the day (in the morning, after the meal and in the late afternoon) to assess their intellectual performance and the speed at which they alternated between several tasks. The results of these tests show that volunteers who took a short nap or who were exposed to blue light make fewer mistakes and complete the requested tasks faster. This moment of relaxation also promotes memory.
In several countries, the nap at work is an institution. Spain, China, Japan or even a few large American companies like Google, more and more companies are deciding to provide their employees with relaxation rooms. In France, nap rooms are a revolution in the business world. Very few companies got started but the movement is underway.
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