Sleeping On The Job

It was Friday and we were beat. Rather than fight off sleep with Mocha Lattes or brisk walks, Mangesh and I decided to go the other direction. But we were in Starbucks, and falling asleep in Starbucks means waking up robbed. There's only one place we could nap and not look homeless. A trip to the Empire State Building was in order.

This wasn't a sightseeing venture, a point the aggressive area tour guides refused to accept. No, we came seeking rest.

Up on the 22nd floor is MetroNaps. Let me let their sign explain:

After some enjoyable banter with the MetroNaps staff, we each crawled into an EnergyPod, a napping vessel shaped like an oversized football helmet. Soothing music calmed the nerves brought on by public sleeping.

Our alarms were set for 20 minutes. That's what you get for $14. You could buy a monthly membership for $65 and nap whenever you want. If you worked nights, you could probably live there.

I didn't actually fall asleep. The only job on which I've successfully slept was a summer gig in a school warehouse. But that's another story. When my twenty minutes were up, I admit to feeling re-energized. Never mind that it looks like I'm being cooked. (Those lights aren't on during the napping portion.)

We followed up our naps with our Friday brainstorming meeting. Though no longer tired, sleep was on the brain. So we decided to go with a series of posts on sleep. Stay tuned for 'Five Disorders That Make For Scary Slumbering' and 'Famous Narcoleptics.' Ransom has already asked and answered this question: 'Should You Wake A Sleepwalker?'

And if you're hoping to convince your boss that sleeping on the job is the key to productivity, here are 10 Benefits Of Power Napping, And How To Do It.

Sweet dreams.