Charging breaks

Does a nap at the office boost productivity?

Taking a short, restorative nap improves concentration and performance, even though it remains a cultural taboo in Italia

by Lorenzo Cavalieri*

10 July 2026

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3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Scientists who study our productivity in the workplace tell us that we live in a state of prolonged ‘partial activation’ of our brain’s faculties. We feel as though we are always ‘on the ball’, but in reality we are human beings, generally focused and only occasionally 100 per cent focused on our tasks and objectives. Alert but distracted, in short. Alert but often mesmerised by the screen and constantly under threat from our mental tormentors: notifications (in the broadest sense of the term). An email from the boss, a meeting reminder, a chat message from a colleague, pop-ups of all kinds, alerts of all kinds, and the word ‘urgent’ appearing one after another without pause. And whilst we’re always in ‘on’ mode, always switched on, always reachable, our battery inevitably runs out.

According to experts, to maximise our productivity we should be completely focused on a single task and then, from time to time, reward ourselves with short breaks. Unfortunately, however, a break spent scrolling through Reels on our smartphone is not a restful activity. It gives us a sense of satisfaction but doesn’t help us to rest. To rest, we should really switch off and create ‘darkness and silence’.

So, lots of little breaks (going to the loo, having a coffee, walking round the block whilst phoning home, sending a WhatsApp message to a friend from the five-a-side football team) aren’t enough, because, according to scientists, to recharge we also need moments of complete disconnection, away from screens and/or social interactions.

Partly thanks to the rise of remote working – and consequently to reflections on how to work from home – the concept of a power nap, known in Italian as a ‘riposino energizzante’, has been gaining ground in Italia in recent years. It involves ‘creating darkness and silence’ for 15–20 minutes. It involves reaching that state of light drowsiness (like when travelling by train, so to speak) that gives us the pleasant sensation of having ‘lost consciousness’ for a few moments.

It isn’t deep sleep. There’s no REM phase, and you don’t necessarily need a sofa either (although it does help). There are techniques (such as breathing exercises) to help you fall asleep, and good habits (earplugs, eye masks, quiet places).

A request from our organisation

We all realise that a power nap is a natural need of our bodies, and so we fully understand just how useful it can be to carve out a little time for this in our day. Here, however, we come up against a cultural issue: even though there are companies (usually large multinationals) that have set up ‘relaxation corners’ in their premises, complete with armchairs and sofas, the idea of taking a nap at the office in Italia is regarded either as an eccentric gimmick from a Californian corporation or as an intolerable lack of respect and decorum.

In everyday life, you might come across a colleague – perhaps a little on the older side – who closes their eyes and sometimes even snores, but these situations are seen as abnormal and need to be dealt with through a mixture of humour and reports to HR. Sleep is for those who are just collecting a pay cheque and can’t be bothered to work.

If, on the other hand, we were inspired by a healthy desire to combine productivity and wellbeing, we would need to ‘give the green light’ to a nap. If work is less and less about routine tasks (algorithms take care of those) and more and more about performance, then we need to be energised to make a difference. When we’re tired and drained, we might just about manage to tighten a bolt. But we can’t make a real contribution in a meeting or convince someone of the merits of our proposal. Not to mention those in the office who manage tasks involving significant risks or the potential for errors. We should take our cue from professional sport: coaches and fitness trainers tell us that sleep is the champion’s greatest asset.

A power nap should be a natural part of what we in Italia call the lunch break. Training courses should be organised to help introduce this kind of habit in the workplace. We should encourage the use of eye masks, earplugs and soundproof areas. Entrepreneurs and managers should lead by example. We know the alternative all too well. It’s called ‘screen hypnosis’. It’s true that our colleagues don’t notice it, but our brain’s battery runs out just like our smartphone’s.

*Managing Director of the training and consultancy firm Sparring