Sleeping At Work: Japan’s Got The Right Idea

We live in a culture where being sleep deprived is perfectly acceptable. It’s normal to roll into work after a late night, jumbo coffee in hand, eyes heavy with fatigue.

But even when we’re running on empty, we’re expected to power through the day. Deadlines loom. Projects pile up. Meetings stretch on. The show must go on — even as we silently think, “If only I could just take a quick nap right now.”

If only. A 15–20 minute nap can noticeably boost alertness (source). What if napping at work wasn’t just allowed, but encouraged?

Some forward-thinking companies already embrace this idea. Google, Procter & Gamble, Salesforce, and PWC have all installed sleep pods in their offices.

But one country has been ahead of the game for decades: Japan.

Inemuri in Japan

In Japan, they have a practice called inemuri, meaning “to be asleep while present” (source). It’s common to see employees sitting upright with eyes closed during meetings — lightly dozing while still technically engaged.

In many cultures, this might seem lazy or disrespectful. But in Japan, it’s a sign of dedication. It shows that the employee worked so hard, they’ve had to sacrifice sleep.

There are some unwritten rules. The person must remain upright, so they can respond quickly if needed. And it’s often only those in senior or junior roles who can get away with it — middle management, not so much.

Still, the takeaway is clear: in Japan, sleep is respected. Even sleep on the job. It’s time Australians reconsidered our stance on workplace rest. The Japanese know the power of a nap — and it’s something we could learn from.

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