WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.660 I am here today to introduce Thea O'Connor and her session, Let's Normalize the Nap. 2 00:00:07.800 --> 00:00:13.940 I'm pretty excited about this one. I must admit, after not getting enough sleep last weekend, 3 00:00:14.840 --> 00:00:18.560 on Sunday afternoon, I ran a red light. 4 00:00:20.380 --> 00:00:25.180 So, I've really reflected on the importance for sleep recently, 5 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:27.580 and so I'm going to be paying avid attention. 6 00:00:27.580 --> 00:00:36.860 Now, here is Thea O'Connor, sleep activist, nap activist, and personal sustainability consultant. 7 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:41.200 Thank you. 8 00:00:41.340 --> 00:00:46.120 And I'd like to start by asking you to bring to mind a really clear picture of yourself, 9 00:00:46.340 --> 00:00:49.960 mid-afternoon, on a typical working day, maybe on Friday, 10 00:00:50.620 --> 00:00:54.260 and get a really good sense of how alive and alert you might be feeling, 11 00:00:54.400 --> 00:00:56.840 or how slow or sluggish. 12 00:00:56.840 --> 00:00:59.840 And to how many of the following questions would you answer yes? 13 00:01:00.940 --> 00:01:02.340 Maybe drifting off a little bit, 14 00:01:03.460 --> 00:01:04.260 maybe yawning, 15 00:01:04.880 --> 00:01:06.040 or even dead tired. 16 00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:10.880 And what I want to talk about today is why I reckon we could do with these signs, not just on the roads, 17 00:01:11.060 --> 00:01:14.000 but also in our workplaces and education institutions 18 00:01:14.580 --> 00:01:17.740 across the country, and also not just for the sake of safety, 19 00:01:18.020 --> 00:01:20.460 but also because I think it would be a really smart thing to do. 20 00:01:20.880 --> 00:01:25.340 So, in the short time I've got with you today, I'm going to first of all take a big picture perspective, 21 00:01:25.520 --> 00:01:26.820 and where does napping go? 22 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:27.440 And where does napping sit in that? 23 00:01:27.600 --> 00:01:31.000 And I think it sits within the big picture as a renewable energy practice 24 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:33.720 that would really support our personal sustainability. 25 00:01:34.240 --> 00:01:38.680 Then we're going to zoom in and just look at some of the key research findings on the short nap, 26 00:01:38.860 --> 00:01:40.980 and what are the practical implications of that, 27 00:01:41.060 --> 00:01:44.560 because I'd like you to walk out with a bit more nap know-how under your belt, 28 00:01:44.620 --> 00:01:45.500 for those of you who are interested. 29 00:01:45.820 --> 00:01:49.780 And then just a few reflections on what might it take to normalise this practice. 30 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:54.140 I was coming home on the plane from Sydney recently, 31 00:01:54.240 --> 00:01:56.820 and I was sitting next to a chap who was quite conversational, 32 00:01:56.840 --> 00:01:59.660 and as you do, he said, well what do you do? 33 00:01:59.980 --> 00:02:02.280 And for once I didn't fudge it, and I just said it straight. 34 00:02:02.460 --> 00:02:06.200 I said, I'm an activist, and I'm working to normalise the power nap in our culture. 35 00:02:06.540 --> 00:02:08.940 And he looked at me, and he thought it was the best joke ever. 36 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:12.140 And he burst out laughing, and he slapped his knee, 37 00:02:12.380 --> 00:02:15.820 and then he sat back a bit and went quiet, and he looked at me, 38 00:02:15.900 --> 00:02:18.300 and he said, actually, that's not such a bad idea. 39 00:02:18.880 --> 00:02:23.520 So, at the end of today, we'll see how many of you think that maybe it's not such a bad idea. 40 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:26.820 But before we go on, I'd love to know what kind of napping practice 41 00:02:26.840 --> 00:02:28.100 and experience there is in the room. 42 00:02:29.040 --> 00:02:33.500 So, I'm going to ask in a moment for a show of hands, what kind of a napper are you? 43 00:02:34.160 --> 00:02:36.360 So, let's start with our proud nappers. 44 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:40.000 Who here naps, don't hide it, in fact, you're probably pretty good at it? 45 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:40.560 Wow, okay. 46 00:02:41.200 --> 00:02:42.920 We've got a nap-friendly audience here today. 47 00:02:43.340 --> 00:02:47.180 Now, I know this could be a bit challenging, but is anyone normally a bit of a closet napper? 48 00:02:47.260 --> 00:02:48.640 You do do it, but you don't tell anyone. 49 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.240 It's a safe space here, if you want to raise your hand. 50 00:02:51.380 --> 00:02:53.300 Thank you, well done, you've come out today. 51 00:02:54.100 --> 00:02:55.880 And are there any wannabe nappers? 52 00:02:55.880 --> 00:02:59.440 So, you've heard about it, maybe tried it, didn't quite work. 53 00:02:59.540 --> 00:03:00.580 Okay, got a few wannabes. 54 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:04.360 And I don't know if we're going to have anyone in the last category, 55 00:03:04.480 --> 00:03:06.820 but research does find a subgroup of non-nappers. 56 00:03:07.200 --> 00:03:09.400 Either you don't need to do it, you don't want to do it, 57 00:03:09.420 --> 00:03:11.560 or if you do do it, it doesn't really work for you. 58 00:03:11.660 --> 00:03:13.140 Any non-nappers to date? 59 00:03:14.060 --> 00:03:18.300 Okay, that's really good to know. 60 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:22.480 So, let's start with your energy levels. 61 00:03:22.600 --> 00:03:24.820 And I'm going to ask you to just contemplate 62 00:03:24.820 --> 00:03:28.660 how your energy levels have been, maybe over the last two to three weeks. 63 00:03:28.760 --> 00:03:30.960 And I'm going to come back to this scale soon. 64 00:03:31.440 --> 00:03:35.960 So, I was at a cafe recently, and I saw a young tradesman come up to the barista, 65 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:40.100 and he ordered not a single, not a double, not a triple, 66 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:42.060 but a quadruple espresso coffee. 67 00:03:42.860 --> 00:03:46.120 I was getting triple zero ready on my phone, I was worried. 68 00:03:46.480 --> 00:03:49.340 But it really struck me, I thought, wow, what is a young man, 69 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:53.220 presumably in his prime, why would he need to start the day 70 00:03:53.220 --> 00:03:54.800 with such a blast of stuff? 71 00:03:55.820 --> 00:04:00.360 And I find it kind of 72 00:04:00.360 --> 00:04:00.460 kind of 73 00:04:04.040 --> 00:04:04.200 kind 74 00:04:24.820 --> 00:04:29.220 it and I think if we looked at how good we are at managing the Earth's energy 75 00:04:29.220 --> 00:04:33.120 reserves you could probably conclude we've got a little bit to learn but what 76 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:37.900 about managing our own energy reserves so hopefully you've you've made a note 77 00:04:37.900 --> 00:04:41.740 on that scale you know where you are at the moment and just in case you're 78 00:04:41.740 --> 00:04:47.900 curious as to how you compare to national statistics using that same 79 00:04:47.900 --> 00:04:52.460 scale about a third of full-time workers so that they're not just tired but 80 00:04:52.460 --> 00:04:56.680 extremely tired or completely exhausted just about all of the time and this 81 00:04:56.680 --> 00:05:01.800 comes from what was the Australian work-life index survey conducted by South 82 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:06.240 Australia's Centre for Work and Life so when we look at full-time working 83 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:11.040 mothers what do you think happens to that statistic so it rises to almost one 84 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:16.440 in two and it's not just adult full-time workers are feeling a bit worn out we 85 00:05:16.440 --> 00:05:20.160 know that teenagers are the most sleep deprived group worldwide second only to 86 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:22.340 shift workers and again some good South Australian 87 00:05:22.340 --> 00:05:27.240 research here show that about 50% of teenagers show elevated levels of 88 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:32.420 daytime fatigue if you look at primary school age children they're not doing so 89 00:05:32.420 --> 00:05:36.280 badly but you can definitely see over the last 20 years at their bedtime hours 90 00:05:36.280 --> 00:05:41.300 have been shrinking so I'm just curious when you look at those statistics and 91 00:05:41.300 --> 00:05:43.540 what I think really stands out to me is these people aren't just saying they're 92 00:05:43.540 --> 00:05:47.580 tired but extremely tired or completely exhausted all the time you know what's 93 00:05:47.580 --> 00:05:52.320 your reaction to those kind of statistics so when I think about time 94 00:05:52.340 --> 00:05:55.940 tiredness I like to refer to my mentor in this area and that's Michael 95 00:05:55.940 --> 00:06:01.900 Loonig's character Mr. Curley and Mr. Curley says that tiredness is actually 96 00:06:01.900 --> 00:06:05.740 one of our strongest and most instructive feelings and it's actually 97 00:06:05.740 --> 00:06:11.720 an aspect of our conscience and it must be heeded or else we will not survive so 98 00:06:11.720 --> 00:06:16.600 do you think that we heed our tiredness in our culture particularly the everyday 99 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:21.200 normal variety so Mr. Curley he's actually goes on to say that he's really 100 00:06:21.200 --> 00:06:22.320 worried that tiredness is a problem and that's because we're tired and we're not 101 00:06:22.320 --> 00:06:23.180 tired and we're not tired at all and tiredness has become the most suppressed 102 00:06:23.180 --> 00:06:28.020 feeling in the world but we reward people for shoving it down and pushing on 103 00:06:28.820 --> 00:06:33.080 so when I look at those statistics my question is like why why are we all so 104 00:06:33.080 --> 00:06:37.580 tired and of course for each individual there's going to be a whole mix of 105 00:06:37.580 --> 00:06:41.140 factors you know some people might have health conditions some people might just 106 00:06:41.140 --> 00:06:45.280 not be getting enough sleep addicted to technology low iron levels is a really 107 00:06:45.280 --> 00:06:49.800 common cause in women but just for a moment I want to like step right back 108 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:51.800 and take a really big picture perspective 109 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:56.120 and I have been really interested to consider is there anything that we could 110 00:06:56.120 --> 00:07:02.440 learn about managing energy by what we already know about managing the earth's 111 00:07:02.440 --> 00:07:07.220 energy reserves and is any of that relevant to human energy and I actually 112 00:07:07.220 --> 00:07:09.660 think there are some similarities that we can 113 00:07:09.660 --> 00:07:13.860 learn from and here are three what I think are common pathways to depletion 114 00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:18.920 so the first one is is we're really good at ignoring early warning signs I mean 115 00:07:18.920 --> 00:07:21.780 how many decades did it take us to heed climate change and find solutions for 116 00:07:21.780 --> 00:07:27.320 change scientist warnings. And then when it comes to human burnout, every sufferer who I've either 117 00:07:27.320 --> 00:07:33.640 interviewed or worked with, they'll absolutely say, yes, I overrode, ignored all those early 118 00:07:33.640 --> 00:07:38.240 warning signs. You know, just feeling more and more tired, getting more reactive or tunnel vision, 119 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:45.560 or just not feeling so joyful in life anymore. The second common pathway is over-relying on the 120 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:51.080 non-renewables. So we know that oil is the most traded commodity in the world. What's the second 121 00:07:51.080 --> 00:07:58.640 most traded commodity in the world? Yep, it's the coffee bean. So it's as if our world is running 122 00:07:58.640 --> 00:08:03.520 on non-renewable sources of energy, the adrenaline that comes from caffeine and oil. And of course, 123 00:08:03.520 --> 00:08:07.880 they have their place, these sources of energy. But have you noticed that as humans, the more 124 00:08:07.880 --> 00:08:12.780 tired we get, the more we want the non-renewables. We want the fast, quick energy, which is often the 125 00:08:12.780 --> 00:08:19.480 caffeine or the sugar or just a good dose of stress to get us through the day. And, you know, 126 00:08:19.500 --> 00:08:20.780 these things, they will get us through. 127 00:08:21.080 --> 00:08:25.720 The days and the months and the years. And it's only when burnout strikes later on that people 128 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:30.820 realize that those substances really didn't build our inherent vitality, because they're kind of 129 00:08:30.820 --> 00:08:36.840 borrowing from the future. And then the third common pathway is this disregard for our very 130 00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:42.280 real physical limitations. So there is only so much oil in the earth, and there is only so much 131 00:08:42.280 --> 00:08:47.760 work you can do before you need to rest. And that's true no matter how healthy or evolved you 132 00:08:47.760 --> 00:08:51.060 are, or how cleared out your chakras are, or how much meditation you do. And that's true no matter 133 00:08:51.080 --> 00:08:55.420 how much meditation you do. You know, as long as we're grounded in this human body, we have limits 134 00:08:55.420 --> 00:08:59.660 that warrant respect. But have you noticed that respecting your limits, that doesn't get much air 135 00:08:59.660 --> 00:09:03.720 time, does it, in all the positive psychology that's out there at the moment? We're told to 136 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:07.700 reach for the stars, never say never. Being told to respect your limits, it sounds a bit lame, 137 00:09:07.820 --> 00:09:14.280 doesn't it? But it's actually really important. And when we do disregard our limits, what it does 138 00:09:14.280 --> 00:09:21.000 is it kicks us into thinking we can sustain an intense output for a prolonged period of time, 139 00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:25.720 without needing to stop and refuel. And it really strikes me, that way of operating, 140 00:09:25.940 --> 00:09:30.160 it's a bit like the economic growth model, isn't it? And that's based on an assumption 141 00:09:30.160 --> 00:09:37.240 of infinite capacity. And it's about limitless growth. And I think the danger is when that 142 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:42.340 economic growth mentality gets into our brain, and we apply it to our own energy reserves, 143 00:09:42.640 --> 00:09:46.260 we're definitely headed for depletion or collapse or some sort of burnout. 144 00:09:46.740 --> 00:09:51.060 So when you look at those three tendencies, can you recognise any tendencies in your brain? 145 00:09:51.900 --> 00:09:52.940 Can you recognise any of those tendencies in your brain? Can you recognise any of those 146 00:09:52.940 --> 00:09:57.160 And also, for those of you who are currently in workplaces, can you recognise any of those 147 00:09:57.160 --> 00:10:03.540 tendencies in your workplace culture or your work ethic? In the workplace consulting that I do 148 00:10:03.540 --> 00:10:08.940 around health and wellbeing, I absolutely see those deeply entrenched into people's work ethics. 149 00:10:09.020 --> 00:10:14.980 So take the first one, for example. Because stress and tiredness, chronic tiredness, 150 00:10:15.020 --> 00:10:20.500 are so common, we don't recognise them anymore as early warning signs, because they're the norm. 151 00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:27.040 What about the second one? Who here is in a workplace where people feel guilty for stopping for lunch? 152 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:32.500 So when it comes to relying on renewable sources of energy, you know, getting outside, taking a break, 153 00:10:32.660 --> 00:10:35.560 getting some sunlight, getting some food, we actually feel guilty about it. 154 00:10:35.700 --> 00:10:41.420 I was running a workshop recently for about 40 people within a team, and I asked, I said, 155 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:47.460 stand up if you do not feel guilty for stepping outside for 30 minutes to have lunch 156 00:10:47.460 --> 00:10:49.660 when your colleagues are staying at their computer. 157 00:10:49.660 --> 00:10:55.240 How many do you think stood up? No one. It's crazy, isn't it? 158 00:10:55.360 --> 00:11:00.620 And then in terms of disregarding our limits and thinking we can work forever, I see that all the time. 159 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:06.420 Working continuously has become the default working style across the world. 160 00:11:06.640 --> 00:11:10.940 So there's a study conducted by the Energy Project across 92 different countries. 161 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:17.000 This was in a white-collar environment, and the question was, how many of you stopped for an intentional break throughout the day? 162 00:11:17.280 --> 00:11:19.640 90% said no, I don't take any. 163 00:11:20.220 --> 00:11:25.340 And what really strikes me is how that's so counter to the science of high performance. 164 00:11:25.620 --> 00:11:28.420 There's so much good research, and you're probably familiar with it, 165 00:11:28.520 --> 00:11:32.040 that shows that work-to-rest ratios are actually key. 166 00:11:32.400 --> 00:11:35.980 And that's important whether you're an athlete on the sporting field 167 00:11:35.980 --> 00:11:40.380 or whether you just need to concentrate or learn or remember new information. 168 00:11:40.920 --> 00:11:44.160 And then when we step into the workplace, that all seems to go out the window. 169 00:11:44.560 --> 00:11:46.420 I find that rather curious. 170 00:11:46.640 --> 00:11:49.640 So that's why I think it's really time to overthink. 171 00:11:49.660 --> 00:11:51.280 If we don't overhaul our approach to productivity, 172 00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:56.260 it's time to fashion a work ethic around our human biological rhythms, 173 00:11:56.460 --> 00:11:58.840 rather than have them based around machines. 174 00:11:59.540 --> 00:12:03.220 Because if we don't overhaul our approach, we are headed for another GFC, 175 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:05.780 and I'm talking about a great fatigue crisis. 176 00:12:06.280 --> 00:12:09.400 So for now, let's just zoom in on number two here. 177 00:12:09.660 --> 00:12:12.440 So there are common pathways to depletion, 178 00:12:12.520 --> 00:12:16.760 and out of that fall some perhaps starter principles for personal sustainability. 179 00:12:17.180 --> 00:12:19.640 So let's zoom in on increasing our approach to productivity. 180 00:12:19.640 --> 00:12:19.680 So let's look at the first one, 181 00:12:19.680 --> 00:12:22.660 which is our alliance on renewable energy, because that's where the NAP fits. 182 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:26.380 So you're probably really aware that in our world today, 183 00:12:26.560 --> 00:12:28.980 we have ready access to the non-renewables. 184 00:12:29.020 --> 00:12:31.420 That was a sign that was on the train station in Sydney, 185 00:12:31.520 --> 00:12:32.460 and I took a little snap of it. 186 00:12:32.560 --> 00:12:36.880 So nicotine, sugar, caffeine, readily available all the time. 187 00:12:37.100 --> 00:12:39.100 But we also have some available, 188 00:12:39.220 --> 00:12:42.480 some really great renewable energy practices as well, 189 00:12:42.540 --> 00:12:45.820 that are well proven to build our vitality. 190 00:12:45.900 --> 00:12:48.740 So when you look at that list of renewable energy practices, 191 00:12:48.740 --> 00:12:51.000 which one is the least socially acceptable? 192 00:12:51.980 --> 00:12:53.800 I reckon it probably is the power nap. 193 00:12:54.140 --> 00:12:57.220 In our culture, it suffers from a bit of an image problem, doesn't it? 194 00:12:57.560 --> 00:13:00.500 And unfortunately, some of the latest napping products aren't really helping. 195 00:13:02.580 --> 00:13:04.900 Has anyone seen the ostrich pillow? 196 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:07.760 I mean, good on for giving it a crack, but I mean, 197 00:13:08.640 --> 00:13:11.180 those holes in the side there, you meant to put your arms in there, 198 00:13:11.300 --> 00:13:12.880 and it allows a desk nap. 199 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:17.520 So one of the workplaces that I work with, 200 00:13:17.520 --> 00:13:20.560 they know I'm really into napping, and they bought one of these. 201 00:13:20.760 --> 00:13:22.780 I have to say, it hasn't inspired any napping, 202 00:13:22.900 --> 00:13:25.800 but it has inspired a lot of laughter down the corridors, 203 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.740 which maybe is just as good. 204 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:28.340 Who knows? 205 00:13:30.040 --> 00:13:33.260 And also, we tend to associate napping with slacking, 206 00:13:33.420 --> 00:13:35.300 despite the fact it has the opposite effect. 207 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:38.720 We associate it with, you know, kindergarten kids 208 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.000 or perhaps only what our grandparents do. 209 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:44.400 So in our culture, that tends to be the association. 210 00:13:44.980 --> 00:13:47.420 Let's strip that back and actually just have a look at, well, 211 00:13:47.520 --> 00:13:48.420 what does the science show? 212 00:13:49.160 --> 00:13:52.240 So, and just for clarity, when I'm talking about the nap today, 213 00:13:52.520 --> 00:13:56.600 a nap could be anything from, say, 15 minutes to 2½ hours. 214 00:13:56.840 --> 00:14:00.560 I'm talking about the short nap, so anything under, say, 30 minutes. 215 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:04.220 But generally speaking, naps of all lengths around the globe, 216 00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:07.140 surveys show it varies, you know, significantly, 217 00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:10.280 really depending on whether you live in a siesta culture or not. 218 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:14.200 But anywhere from a third to 80% will say that they nap once a week. 219 00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:16.520 So we would expect that 80% probability, 220 00:14:16.610 --> 00:14:18.610 so that's the exact proportion in siesta cultures. 221 00:14:18.950 --> 00:14:22.710 Is anyone surprised that actually in our, perhaps, countries like ours, 222 00:14:22.750 --> 00:14:24.290 that a third of people nap once a week? 223 00:14:24.490 --> 00:14:27.090 I reckon that's kind of revealing some of the closet nappers 224 00:14:27.090 --> 00:14:29.650 because we don't hear or see about it as much, do we? 225 00:14:30.470 --> 00:14:32.310 And then, so why do we nap? 226 00:14:32.530 --> 00:14:35.430 Well, you could argue that it's programmed into our DNA 227 00:14:35.430 --> 00:14:40.810 because due to those circadian rhythms that repeat themselves every 24 hours, 228 00:14:41.090 --> 00:14:44.010 our alertness curve looks something like this. 229 00:14:44.230 --> 00:14:45.430 Now, that's simplified, 230 00:14:45.430 --> 00:14:49.350 and it's diagrammatic, but it's very consistent with sleep science. 231 00:14:49.670 --> 00:14:51.770 So you can see the little peak there in the morning, 232 00:14:51.890 --> 00:14:53.530 often around 9 or 10 a.m. 233 00:14:54.310 --> 00:14:56.830 You'd need to shift this graph up or down a bit, 234 00:14:56.850 --> 00:14:58.730 depending on your own body clock, 235 00:14:58.890 --> 00:15:00.790 whether you're an early bird or a late bird. 236 00:15:01.010 --> 00:15:03.650 And then that little dip in alertness mid-afternoon, 237 00:15:03.690 --> 00:15:06.470 decades of research has documented, you know, 238 00:15:06.470 --> 00:15:09.710 slower reaction time, short-term memory isn't as good. 239 00:15:09.970 --> 00:15:11.930 Our alertness tends to dip. 240 00:15:12.830 --> 00:15:15.410 And the size of that dip will depend on, you know, 241 00:15:15.430 --> 00:15:16.570 a whole range of different factors, 242 00:15:16.710 --> 00:15:21.130 the main one being people who are sleep-deprived will have a bigger slump. 243 00:15:21.290 --> 00:15:23.350 And maybe it's like other biological traits 244 00:15:23.350 --> 00:15:25.830 where there's just a natural variation as well. 245 00:15:26.290 --> 00:15:29.610 But it's absolutely natural and normal to feel that little dip, 246 00:15:29.730 --> 00:15:30.990 even if you're well-slept. 247 00:15:31.270 --> 00:15:32.950 So when I'm talking about napping, 248 00:15:33.010 --> 00:15:35.950 I'm not just talking about it as a solution for sleep-deprived people. 249 00:15:36.350 --> 00:15:40.290 People who are well-slept can also experience that little dip as well. 250 00:15:41.330 --> 00:15:43.970 So what happens when we're feeling tired 251 00:15:43.970 --> 00:15:45.610 and we push on? 252 00:15:46.410 --> 00:15:48.690 I just want to describe also that other little... 253 00:15:48.690 --> 00:15:49.630 I'm not sure that little clicker works. 254 00:15:49.830 --> 00:15:52.530 See that other little dip at around 2 or 3am in the morning? 255 00:15:52.670 --> 00:15:54.350 So most of us are asleep then, 256 00:15:54.470 --> 00:15:56.370 but this is a time when our body temperature 257 00:15:56.370 --> 00:15:58.770 and our circadian rhythm really bottoms out. 258 00:15:58.930 --> 00:16:01.590 And if you're a shift worker, you know, they will definitely say, 259 00:16:01.670 --> 00:16:03.630 yes, that's such a hard time to get through. 260 00:16:03.690 --> 00:16:06.690 Has anyone here done shift work in the past and know how hard that is? 261 00:16:06.730 --> 00:16:06.950 Yeah. 262 00:16:08.050 --> 00:16:09.670 So what happens when we push on? 263 00:16:11.170 --> 00:16:13.710 Well, where I've got those little red triangles there, 264 00:16:14.210 --> 00:16:17.330 what that denotes is that that is exactly when 265 00:16:17.330 --> 00:16:19.090 workplace accidents and errors peak. 266 00:16:19.390 --> 00:16:24.570 So at the very same time, our biologically-based rhythms take a dip, 267 00:16:25.070 --> 00:16:25.890 accidents peak. 268 00:16:26.090 --> 00:16:28.790 So you know when Leunig said that tiredness, 269 00:16:28.850 --> 00:16:30.890 we must heed it or else we will not survive? 270 00:16:31.150 --> 00:16:33.670 Perhaps he wasn't just exercising a bit of artistic licence. 271 00:16:33.910 --> 00:16:37.490 There's quite good research to back up the serious consequences 272 00:16:37.490 --> 00:16:39.390 of continuing to push on. 273 00:16:39.590 --> 00:16:40.910 Did my microphone just dip out then? 274 00:16:41.070 --> 00:16:41.390 No? OK. 275 00:16:42.310 --> 00:16:43.950 So what if we didn't push on? 276 00:16:43.970 --> 00:16:46.750 But instead we went with our rhythms and took a little nap? 277 00:16:47.450 --> 00:16:49.150 So when I talk about a short nap, 278 00:16:49.210 --> 00:16:52.690 that could be anything from lying down from five minutes to 30 minutes. 279 00:16:53.850 --> 00:16:56.170 So there's a guy here in South Australia, 280 00:16:56.390 --> 00:16:58.450 Professor Leon Lack from Flinders Uni, 281 00:16:58.610 --> 00:17:00.830 and he did some really important research a few years ago 282 00:17:00.830 --> 00:17:03.810 because he wanted to try and work out what's the optimal nap length 283 00:17:03.810 --> 00:17:08.290 so he compared five, 10, 20, 30-minute naps. 284 00:17:08.730 --> 00:17:11.670 And then he tracked people for the next three hours 285 00:17:11.670 --> 00:17:13.410 and he measured things like alertness, 286 00:17:13.410 --> 00:17:15.590 concentration, cognitive performance. 287 00:17:16.030 --> 00:17:20.170 And he found that it was actually the 10-minute nap that came up trumps 288 00:17:20.170 --> 00:17:25.650 in that it resulted in an immediate increase in alertness. 289 00:17:25.810 --> 00:17:29.210 And it lasted for just over two and a half, three hours. 290 00:17:29.650 --> 00:17:33.450 So the good thing about that is it will get you through the afternoon slump 291 00:17:33.450 --> 00:17:36.050 but it won't interfere with a good night's sleep. 292 00:17:36.370 --> 00:17:39.910 And that's really consistent with a lot of other research that says 293 00:17:39.910 --> 00:17:43.390 you only need 10 minutes to have those kind of naps. 294 00:17:43.410 --> 00:17:47.530 And it's even enough to reduce some of those workplace accidents 295 00:17:47.530 --> 00:17:49.610 and errors that we saw peaking before. 296 00:17:50.370 --> 00:17:54.850 And just to clarify, so a 10-minute nap in these research studies, 297 00:17:55.070 --> 00:17:59.050 what that actually signifies is 10 minutes of actual light sleep. 298 00:17:59.350 --> 00:18:02.430 So in order to get that, you might need to lie down 299 00:18:02.430 --> 00:18:04.750 for anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes, 300 00:18:04.870 --> 00:18:08.010 depending on how long it takes you to drift off. 301 00:18:08.230 --> 00:18:11.430 And interestingly, Leon Lack has just developed this little gadget 302 00:18:11.430 --> 00:18:13.390 that solves that problem. 303 00:18:13.410 --> 00:18:16.090 It's called the timing problem, so you can get exactly 10 minutes of sleep 304 00:18:16.090 --> 00:18:18.610 and it helps identify when you fall asleep 305 00:18:18.610 --> 00:18:20.770 and then it will wake you up at the 10-minute mark. 306 00:18:20.890 --> 00:18:23.190 He just emailed me beforehand and told me all about it. 307 00:18:24.230 --> 00:18:26.830 OK, so let's look what happens in those longer naps. 308 00:18:26.910 --> 00:18:30.270 Now, it looks like a complicated diagram, but it's not too bad. 309 00:18:30.510 --> 00:18:34.330 So can you see the brief nap first on this curve? 310 00:18:34.950 --> 00:18:36.470 So that's just what we've talked about. 311 00:18:36.650 --> 00:18:38.630 So on waiting, you get an immediate improvement. 312 00:18:38.770 --> 00:18:40.010 See how the graph goes straight up? 313 00:18:40.350 --> 00:18:42.770 And then it tailors off for about two and a half hours. 314 00:18:42.770 --> 00:18:45.590 Now, can you see what happens for those slightly longer naps? 315 00:18:45.590 --> 00:18:47.330 Here, they're just called short nap, long nap. 316 00:18:47.630 --> 00:18:50.250 Can you see how performance, how we feel and function, 317 00:18:50.330 --> 00:18:53.690 actually deteriorates first before you get an improvement? 318 00:18:54.410 --> 00:18:57.850 So is anyone familiar with the groggy feeling after a longer nap? 319 00:18:57.930 --> 00:18:59.490 Yeah. So they call it sleep inertia. 320 00:18:59.850 --> 00:19:04.250 The main factor contributing to it is how much slow-wave sleep you get. 321 00:19:04.450 --> 00:19:07.090 That's that deeper sleep that's really hard to come out of. 322 00:19:07.310 --> 00:19:09.590 So it is restorative, but as you can see, 323 00:19:09.610 --> 00:19:12.750 you might need to wait anywhere between, say, 10 and 30 minutes. 324 00:19:12.770 --> 00:19:15.190 So if you're talking about a workaday nap 325 00:19:15.190 --> 00:19:17.490 when you need to snap back into action fairly quickly, 326 00:19:18.090 --> 00:19:19.090 they're the ones to avoid. 327 00:19:19.250 --> 00:19:20.190 Save them up for your holidays. 328 00:19:20.590 --> 00:19:25.070 Keeping it short really is the most effective way during a working day. 329 00:19:25.930 --> 00:19:27.630 So in terms of practical implications, 330 00:19:27.950 --> 00:19:29.630 that's why we say when it comes to the nap, 331 00:19:29.710 --> 00:19:31.130 timing really is everything. 332 00:19:31.730 --> 00:19:33.650 So you don't want it too late in the day, 333 00:19:33.750 --> 00:19:37.250 otherwise you'll be awake in the wee hours trying to get to sleep 334 00:19:37.250 --> 00:19:38.910 and you'll think, oh, what's all this napping business? 335 00:19:39.550 --> 00:19:41.050 Except if you want to go out and party. 336 00:19:41.050 --> 00:19:43.270 I was talking to a woman recently. 337 00:19:43.410 --> 00:19:44.970 She said, oh, yes, I do the disco nap. 338 00:19:45.310 --> 00:19:47.610 And that was she would have a nap before she went out dancing. 339 00:19:48.030 --> 00:19:49.630 And also not too long. 340 00:19:49.790 --> 00:19:54.190 So the general rule of thumb is don't lie down for more than 30 minutes 341 00:19:54.190 --> 00:19:56.750 and then you shouldn't go into that deep sleep stage. 342 00:19:57.130 --> 00:19:58.570 But everyone's really different. 343 00:19:58.690 --> 00:20:00.670 So I just encourage people to experiment 344 00:20:00.670 --> 00:20:03.490 to get the timing exactly right for you. 345 00:20:03.590 --> 00:20:05.730 So for me, it's about 20, 25 minutes is pretty good. 346 00:20:05.790 --> 00:20:09.510 And I do put on an alarm so I don't have to worry about oversleeping. 347 00:20:11.050 --> 00:20:15.910 OK, so energy, though, is only one of the benefits of power napping. 348 00:20:16.090 --> 00:20:19.090 And it can also play a role in creative thinking 349 00:20:19.090 --> 00:20:23.310 because there's something that happens quite apart from the sleep bit. 350 00:20:23.410 --> 00:20:27.510 When we change our posture, you know, from vertical to horizontal, 351 00:20:27.730 --> 00:20:30.150 it seems to help get the creative juices flowing. 352 00:20:30.330 --> 00:20:33.010 And there are some lovely historical examples of this. 353 00:20:33.230 --> 00:20:39.430 So apparently medieval Irish poets used to compose their court poetry lying down. 354 00:20:40.170 --> 00:20:41.030 Spike Mews. 355 00:20:41.050 --> 00:20:42.510 You know, Mark Milligan in his memoirs. 356 00:20:42.530 --> 00:20:46.930 He talks about how he used to lie down with his fellow scriptwriters all head-to-head 357 00:20:46.930 --> 00:20:49.130 and they'd be throwing out ideas and suggestions. 358 00:20:49.170 --> 00:20:52.950 So for them, flat out was how they got the inspiration flowing. 359 00:20:53.290 --> 00:20:56.450 And there's also been some research from ANU 360 00:20:57.050 --> 00:21:02.530 that shows that people can solve problems lying down better than they can standing up. 361 00:21:02.570 --> 00:21:04.370 And he puts that down to a change in brain chemistry. 362 00:21:05.370 --> 00:21:07.710 And you're probably as aware as I am 363 00:21:07.710 --> 00:21:10.670 of how often do we hear about the need for innovation. 364 00:21:11.190 --> 00:21:12.710 You know, it's like innovation, innovation. 365 00:21:13.190 --> 00:21:16.030 It's like it's becoming a core workplace capability. 366 00:21:16.510 --> 00:21:20.450 So wouldn't it be neat if this simple little act actually gave people a competitive edge? 367 00:21:21.070 --> 00:21:23.270 But you could just ask, well, why not just have a coffee? 368 00:21:23.550 --> 00:21:24.170 You know? 369 00:21:25.110 --> 00:21:26.070 That's all a bit easier. 370 00:21:26.090 --> 00:21:27.250 I don't have to challenge any norms. 371 00:21:27.570 --> 00:21:29.910 Well, some researchers have compared the two. 372 00:21:30.310 --> 00:21:33.270 And if you just go to the bottom of this graph here, 373 00:21:33.990 --> 00:21:36.350 so what they've found is that when it comes to energy, 374 00:21:37.050 --> 00:21:40.150 that the energy gain you get through napping is more steady 375 00:21:40.150 --> 00:21:43.090 and less variable than what you get from coffee. 376 00:21:43.190 --> 00:21:44.030 So yes, coffee is great. 377 00:21:44.110 --> 00:21:44.570 It'll give you a buzz. 378 00:21:44.650 --> 00:21:46.230 But then there's the downside, isn't there? 379 00:21:46.670 --> 00:21:49.450 If you go one up and look at the effect on memory, 380 00:21:49.550 --> 00:21:54.010 so there's a woman called Sarah Mednick from University of California. 381 00:21:54.230 --> 00:21:55.830 She's also written a really good book. 382 00:21:55.890 --> 00:21:58.330 It's called Take a Nap, Change Your Life, which I know sounds very American, 383 00:21:58.430 --> 00:22:01.330 but it's got some really good research in there if you want to read more. 384 00:22:01.770 --> 00:22:04.370 She actually compared a coffee with a nap. 385 00:22:04.610 --> 00:22:05.650 And she looked at memory. 386 00:22:05.730 --> 00:22:07.330 She looked at three different kinds of memory. 387 00:22:07.670 --> 00:22:10.130 And she found that the coffee actually made two things. 388 00:22:10.150 --> 00:22:12.770 Two types of memory worse, whereas the nap improved them. 389 00:22:13.330 --> 00:22:16.210 And if we compared the time and money involved, 390 00:22:16.690 --> 00:22:20.050 you can see if you do a cost-benefit analysis of that, 391 00:22:21.630 --> 00:22:23.350 you can see who comes out the winner. 392 00:22:23.830 --> 00:22:27.430 But going back to Sarah's research, she has a lovely phrase. 393 00:22:27.550 --> 00:22:29.910 So she says, look, if you come to mid-afternoon and you're wondering, 394 00:22:30.030 --> 00:22:31.710 oh, shall I have a coffee or a nap? 395 00:22:31.910 --> 00:22:33.910 She says, what you really need to ask yourself is, 396 00:22:33.950 --> 00:22:36.130 do I want to be wired or do I want to be smart? 397 00:22:37.250 --> 00:22:39.930 And interestingly, she was engaged by the US Army. 398 00:22:40.150 --> 00:22:41.830 And she was engaged by the US Army to see if they could incorporate 399 00:22:41.830 --> 00:22:46.730 napping into their soldiers' routines because they found that the drugs 400 00:22:46.730 --> 00:22:48.950 that they gave soldiers to keep all the uppers, 401 00:22:49.050 --> 00:22:51.970