(Boston, Mass.) -- The average woman sleeps less than the average man during the work week, even though women need more sleep than men (as reported in the August 2000 issue of Fit & Firm magazine). In recognition of this fact Camille & Bill Anthony, co-authors of The Art of Napping at Work, have declared the Sunday marking the end of daylight savings time to be National Napping Day for Women.
This week the authors are releasing new data about women and napping from their web-based survey on workplace napping. Women who work outside the home report that the health and productivity benefits of napping can be especially important during certain phases of their life, such as pregnancy, infant care and menopause. "I brought in a folding lawn chair and equipped it with a pillow and blanket for two of our pregnant employees'I wish I had such an arrangement five years ago when I was pregnant!" (survey response from a 40 year old senior benefits analyst).
The Anthony's survey of 938 male and female workers found:
-- 70 % of the workers who reported not napping at the workplace were women
-- 26% of these non-napping women say they do not nap because of social reasons (lack of private place to nap, worry about appearance, embarrassment)
-- 17% of the non-napping women specifically mention fear of termination if found napping, while only 5% of the male non-nappers report such a worry;
-- 8% of women nappers report "stall napping" (napping on the toilet) while only 4% of the men nappers report this practice!
This week the Anthony's placed on their web site http://www.napping.com the first ever, specially designed, Napping Survey for Women. The Anthony's request that all women report on their napping strategies and experiences. This material will be used in a new book the Anthony's are writing entitled, The Art of Napping: For Women Only.
On Sunday October 29, 2000 the Anthony's recommend that women everywhere celebrate National Napping Day for Women by "turning their clocks back at 2 AM and their sheets back at 2 PM. The beginning of the fall napping season is the beginning of the time for women nappers to lie down and be counted!"
Camille, a fiscal consultant, and Bill, a Boston University professor, are the parents of three adult female daughters, all of whom appreciate the value of a nap.
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