How to Get Away With Sleeping at Work

We’ve all been in a position at work when all we want to do is take a quick nap. Unfortunately, most working environments don’t allow for this, which leaves us to find ways to work around this difficulty and sneak in a quick power nap at work. In this article, we provide some tips on how to get away with sleeping at work where we go over the best places for napping and how to avoid getting caught.

We also included some general tips on taking naps at work and some advice on staying awake at work when you’re tired, in case you don’t want to risk getting caught.

With that said, let’s start with our first tip.

Nap on Your Breaks

Our first tip is the most obvious one – if you don’t feel like sneaking around your office and making excuses as to why you have to go away, you can always use your breaks to sneak in a nap or two. Your boss or your manager won’t give you any trouble, since you’re napping during your own time.

There are many ways you can make napping during your break a comfortable experience, such as using your desk or leaning on your chair with a V-shaped pillow. Otherwise, if you don’t mind the other employees seeing you nap, you can always use public spaces like your lunch or coffee room.

You get several breaks throughout the day, so power napping during one (or all) of them is a wonderful way to refresh your mind and get a quick energy boost.

Use Your Car

If you use your car to get to work, why not make use of it and sneak in a little nap when you start to feel tired? While this option isn’t available for those who use public transport to get to work, running to the parking lot and having a quick power nap can do wonders for your energy levels and state of mind.

In order to avoid getting caught, it’s wise to park your car as far away from your office as possible, but not so far that you waste a lot of time getting there. Just remember, don’t make a habit out of it because you will end up needlessly wasting time on a daily basis. Save it for days when you’re feeling particularly tired or you have a lot going on at work and you need a quick energy boost.

There are many excuses you can use to explain why you suddenly need to go to the parking lot, such as a family emergency or an errand. If you don’t feel like making excuses, you can always sneak in a nap during your lunch hour and extend it for a couple of minutes hoping that nobody would notice.

Once you get to your car, you have the option of sleeping on the back seat, or, if you want to be as comfortable as possible, lowering down your front seat and sleeping.

Sneak in a Nap in the Bathroom

Even though it might not be the cosiest environment to sleep in, using the bathroom to get a quick nap is an easy way to avoid getting caught or having other people see you nap. After all, you can always blame it on a medical emergency if worst comes to worst. Chances are, you won’t find sleeping on the toilet that appealing, so naturally these naps will be shorter in duration, but that doesn’t make them any less effective.

If you have multiple restrooms to work with, try to find the one that’s the least busy to avoid running into people and having to explain your absence.  

Use Your Desk

One of the most daring things you can do regarding napping at work is using your desk to do it, especially if you don’t have a private office.

There are many ways you can go about napping at your desk that won’t raise suspicion. One of those ways is using your computer to hide from your colleagues, assuming there’s not a lot of traffic where your desk is located. Make sure you open something on your computer that’s work-related so that if anyone catches you sleeping, you can always claim that you fell asleep accidentally while being productive at work.

If you work in a cubicle, you can always use it as an advantage to get in a power nap. Use one of your walls to lean on and try to get some rest before anyone passes by. Another way you can use your cubicle to sleep is by napping under your desk. One perk of having a cubicle is that nobody can see the space underneath your desk, so it’s an easy and effective way to sleep for a bit, assuming you have a great excuse for not being present at work.

A sneaky way to nap at your desk without risking getting caught is by putting your hand on your telephone and making it look like you’re about to receive a call. Find a comfortable position for your other hand (you might lean your head against it) and catch up on some rest. The reason why this is one of the most foolproof ways to sneak in a nap. If somebody happens to walk past you, you can always make it look like you’re about to dial a number. Plus, it’s not the easiest position to sleep in, so your colleagues aren’t likely to suspect you. With that said, be cautious if you’re not a light sleeper – there is a chance you won’t wake up when somebody passes by and you’ll have a lot of explaining to do.

Take Advantage of Your Office

If you have a private office, it will be much easier to sleep since you won’t risk colleagues running into you or your boss finding out that you use your working hours to catch up on rest.

The first step to sleeping in your office is pretty obvious – you need to lock your office door or put a “Do not disturb” sign on your door. Once you ensure that nobody is getting in without permission, pick a nice spot that looks cosy, set your alarm clock, and enjoy your much-deserved break.

If you want to, you can always bring in a pillow or a blanket from home to make these nap breaks a tad bit more comfortable. There are many other ways you can ensure that your sleeping environment in your office is optimised for your utmost comfort, such as setting the temperature at around 20 degrees Celsius (what’s considered to be the optimal sleeping temperature), turning off any source of light you have in your office such as your lamps, closing the blinds, and using your ear buds if there’s too much noise at work.

As comfortable and safe as sleeping in your office might be, do your best to not make a habit out of it because it will start to look suspicious to your manager and boss. Save your office naps for when you know you will have an extremely busy day to get a quick energy boost, or if you didn’t have a chance to get a lot of sleep the previous night and you’re desperate for a short nap.

Use the Conference Room

Not every office will have a conference room, but if you’re lucky enough to have one at your disposal where you work, it’s the perfect place to get in a quick nap when nobody is using it. Check to see if there are any meetings scheduled at the time you’re planning to use it, and if there are not, get comfy in the conference room.

The easiest way to avoid getting caught while sleeping in your conference room is by choosing a chair that’s closest to the door. If anyone happens to walk in while you’re there, you will be more likely to wake up from the harsh sound. To avoid making it look like you’re only there for a nap, try to bring some work-related material and have it open in front of you. You can always use the excuse of needing a quiet space to think while you work on a problem or find it hard to focus with all the noise near your desk. There’s no guarantee that your colleagues or your boss will buy this, but it’s always worth trying.

Wear Sunglasses

If your workspace allows for it, why not hide behind your sunglasses while you nap? Assuming your sunglasses are dark enough to hide your eyes, it’s an easy way to avoid others seeing what you’re up to. If you work in an office, this might be a bit harder to pull off, so you should probably opt for some of our other tips.

Quick Tips for Napping at Work

Now that we shared some of the ways you can sneak in a nap at work, it’s time to share some general tips you can use regardless of which napping method you choose.

Set an Alarm Clock

It’s easy to get so comfy during your nap that you oversleep at work and start to arouse suspicion to those around you. To avoid this scenario and all the consequences that might ensure, you will want to set an alarm clock before you start napping.

If you’re aiming for a power nap, you should set your alarm clock for 20 to 30 minutes after you plan on falling asleep. If you’re sleeping during your break, set your alarm clock to five minutes before your break ends so you can have enough time to wake up and grab a quick snack or drink.

Schedule Your Naps Early in the Afternoon

We understand that you don’t always have a say in when you have a lunch or a coffee break, but try your best to schedule your naps in the early afternoon. If you have an early shift, it will give you the perfect mid-work break and a nice energy boost to carry you for the remainder of your working hours.

Many people feel tired after they have lunch, and if you’re one of those people, an easy way you can deal with post-meal sluggishness is by reserving a couple of minutes from your lunch break for a post-meal power nap.

Try to Get Enough Sleep at Night

This is an obvious one, but to minimise your chances of needing a nap during work hours, your best bet is to have a consistent sleeping schedule and to get enough sleep at night, preferably seven to eight hours every night.

Of course, our energy levels fluctuate during the day and sometimes we feel tired even if we had a good night’s sleep, in which case a quick 20 minute power nap would do wonders in terms of restoring your energy levels.

Don’t Forget to Set an Alarm

It’s easy to oversleep when taking a nap. We’ve all done it – told ourselves ‘just five more minutes’ which turned into sleeping for hours longer than we planned to. That’s why setting an alarm clock (or a couple of them, if you really want to be on the safe side) is the easiest way to ensure that you won’t make this mistake. Keep in mind that if your collages are nearby, they might hear your alarm clock, so pay attention to how loud you set it to be.

How to Stay Awake at Work When You’re Feeling Tired

In case you don’t want to risk your boss or your colleagues catching you napping, here are a few tips on how to stay awake at work when you’re feeling tired.

Move Around

If your workspace allows for it, get up from your office chair every half an hour or so and do some stretching or walking around. Light physical activity is one of the easiest ways you can get a quick energy boost without resorting to caffeine or sleeping.

Keep Hydrated

We all know by now how important drinking enough water is. Water plays a significant role in many of our bodily functions, including our tiredness levels. Drinking water gets your blood flowing and it can also help you concentrate, which can be a real issue if you’re feeling tired.

Pay special attention to your water intake if you find yourself regularly reaching for caffeinated drinks while at work.

Make Sure Your Environment at Work Isn’t Making You Sleepy

One of the things we overlook when we feel tired is the impact of our environment on our energy levels. Things like the temperature of the room you’re working in and the amount of noise you’re hearing can really make an impact in the amount of energy you have, so ensure that they’re optimised.

An easy way you can go about doing this is changing the temperature of your office, assuming you have control over it. Make sure it’s cool enough that it won’t make you drowsy, but that it’s warm enough so that you aren’t freezing. If this isn’t an option, consider having your coffee break outside to get some crisp fresh air.

FAQs

Can You Get in Trouble for Falling Asleep at Work?

Depending on the type of work you do, there is a chance you face some serious precautions for falling asleep on the job, so make sure you’re always careful and discreet.

Is It OK to Sleep in the Office?

Some employers wouldn’t mind if you slept in your office during your breaks, but avoid napping at obvious places like your desk. Instead, choose a more discreet place like your car.

What to Do When You Can’t Stay Awake at Work?

Some ways you can stay awake at work when you’re feeling tired include having some coffee, lightly moving your body, and getting some fresh air.

Final Thoughts

We hope you found our article on how to get away with sleeping at work useful for the next time you feel like you need a quick energy boost while you’re on the job.

An easy way you can sneak in a power nap while at work is by using your lunch and coffee breaks to have a quick nap in an unsuspecting place like your car or the restroom. If your desk has a cubicle, chances are you’re less likely to be caught napping, so you can try going under the desk or hiding behind your laptop. If you do decide to use some of our recommended methods, make sure you set an alarm so that you can wake up on time without getting in trouble. Remember, the best way to avoid having to take a nap at work is by getting enough sleep at night, so if this is a common occurrence, prioritise fixing your sleeping schedule.