Today marks the start of British Summer Time, so believe it or not, BBQ, beer gardens and sunny holidays are just around the corner. While this is all wonderful news, the downside to the start of BST is losing a valuable hour of sleep as we all did last night.
Now researchers are saying that bosses should allow employees to grab an hour-long nap to catch up on their lost sleep and I am so for that, I can't even begin to tell you.
We all know how important it is to get enough shut eye, with experts saying that not sleeping enough can increase your risk of diabetes, heart problems and depression, not to mention just being an absolutely horrible person to be around.
However, according to research, around a quarter of office workers are getting by on five hours sleep a night - bad times.
Psychologist Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, who led the research for bed makers Silentnight and the University of Leeds told the Sun: "This weekend the clocks go forward and we'll lose an hour of sleep on Sunday.
"The loss of an hour in bed is particularly detrimental to individuals who already struggle with their sleep, and recent research by Silentnight has proved that many Brits, including children, are dangerously sleep deprived."
Dr Nerina added: "Unlike our ancestors we're constantly surrounded by unnatural electronic light, whether it's from light fittings, computer screens, televisions or mobile phones.
"This constant exposure to artificial light can have an effect on our sleep quality, and often even when we think we are indulging in a long sleep, the truth is our sleep quality is poor and we still wake up feeling tired."
She reckons, one solution would be for bosses to let staff get their heads down at the office.
Speaking last year, Dr Nerina said: "If you are one of the 25 percent of the nation that gets less than five hours sleep a night, this time change could see you drop down to as little as four hours, which is a dangerously low amount.
"Bosses should consider allowing staff to take a short nap in the office. It can make a huge difference."
But not all naps are created equally, with the good doctor recommending a power nap between 2pm and 4pm and no later as this might disrupt your bedtime.
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She continued: "Allowing staff to indulge in a nap during the working day might sound unusual, but considering the country will be losing an hour of sleep over the weekend it's a fair request.
"Some kind of national napping day would allow the UK workforce to return to their jobs feeling refreshed and ready."
Not my words, folks, but the words of a sleep expert. Let your boss know pronto.
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Source: The Sun
Featured Image Credit: Fox/The Simpsons