Typically, school-sponsored nap time is reserved for young children, and ends once grade school begins. However, it looks like the system may finally be changing for the better.
According to Time, colleges and universities throughout the country are beginning to test out the use of public napping stations for students.
The reason? Citing a study from the medical journal Sleep, Time reports,
Poor sleep [is] found to be as powerful as binge drinking, and more powerful than marijuana, in predicting who would have academic problems.
Some schools, such as the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, utilize traditional methods, placing cots with disposable pillows in high-traffic areas (such as the library) with 30-minute limits on the nap spots.
Other schools take more casual approaches. Virginia’s James Madison University, for instance, has “The Nap Nook” in the student center, complete with microsuede bags and antimicrobial pillows. Students can reserve their 40-minute nap breaks on the school’s website.
And still, other schools go with a high-tech approach to the art of the power-nap. Savannah College of Art and Design boasts two to four EnergyPods on each campus. The EnergyPods are basically $10,000 padded, enclosed chairs meant for napping.
Whatever method used, the benefits are clear. According to Harvard University’s Division of Sleep Medicine,
Evidence suggests that adequate sleep each day is very important for learning and memory.
Thus, offering sleep-deprived students the opportunity to catch up on their shut-eye will likely prove beneficial for both the students and the schools in the long run. There are sure to be positive results on both ends.
Naptime, anyone?
