Many workers believe that sleeping less allows them to get more done. However, a growing body of research suggests the opposite. Studies of people who were kept awake for long periods found that their ability to concentrate, remember information and make decisions declined noticeably. Importantly, the participants often did not realise how much their performance had fallen; they tended to rate themselves as more alert than their test results showed. Some companies have responded by discouraging e-mails late at night or by giving staff advice on healthy sleep habits. A few have even installed quiet rooms where employees can take a short nap during the day. Supporters of these measures say that they are cheap compared with the cost of mistakes made by tired workers. Not everyone is convinced. Some managers worry that nap rooms send the wrong message or will be used by only a small number of people. Researchers respond that the most important factor is not a single nap but a regular pattern of sufficient sleep at night, which depends largely on workload and working hours.

Companies that installed nap rooms have reported fewer mistakes by their employees.