Nap Zone at the Happiness Conference

Delegates encouraged to take a powernap inConference Nap Zzzone

June 2014

At next week’s Happiness Conference in Melbourne, the 1,500 or so conference delegates will be encouraged not only to soak up the wisdom of high profile presenters such as the Dalai Lama, but also to ‘switch off’ by taking a powernap at the Conference Nap Zzzone.

“Information overload is really common at conferences, and taking a short break, especially if it contains some sleep, can really help you integrate and remember new information,” says Naptivist and Founder of NapNow, Thea O’Connor.

“Many people are likely to arrive a bit short on sleep, which means by mid-afternoon they’ll be really struggling to pay attention.  We are encouraging people to try out a 10 – 20 minute power nap so they can get the most out of the Conference,” says O’Connor.

Research shows that a nap as brief as 10 minutes is enough to improve mood, concentration, alertness, and even to reduce workplace accidents and errors. In practice this means allowing more like 20 minutes – to allow time to drift off.

“We don’t turn our heads at workers taking a 15 minute coffee break, so why not give the nod to true rejuvenation as well?” asks O’Connor who founded NapNow to normalise the mini-siesta in our personal and working lives.

“With all predictions about the future of work pointing towards increased speed and complexity in the workplace we need to be looking at effective ways to quickly re-energise and re-fresh our focus.  Continuing to work long and hard without breaks despite fatigue is neither good for health nor productivity.”

O’Connor believes that the powernap is the renewable energy practice whose time has come for the sake of professional and personal sustainability.

For media enquiries she can be contacted on 0412 190 860