Spring Forward Into a Nap

Humans have been aware of seasonal fluctuation in the number of sunshiny hours per day for thousands of years. The loved-by-some, hated-by-others timekeeping scheme that we now call daylight saving time (DST), however, is a relatively recent innovation. A New Zealand entomologist named George Hudson first proposed the modern DST regimen in 1895, and it gradually caught on with nations around the world (including the United States, in 1918) over the next few decades.

If you're among those who carp about the needless confusion of shifting the 24-hour clock by one hour two times per year, well, you can thank your lucky stars that you weren't born in ancient Rome. The Romans — to cite just one example of quirky ancient timekeeping customs — divided up the time between sunrise and sunset into 12 hours regardless of the season. Sometimes an hour would be as short as 44 minutes, and other times it would be as long as 75 minutes.

Statistical analysis suggests that many of the perceived benefits of DST, such as increased productivity, are minimal at best. In some ways, continued observance of DST is a classic case of doing something just because we've all gotten used to it. Not everything linked to DST, on the other hand, is of little to no measurable value. Take National Napping Day. In the U.S., National Napping Day is (informally) observed on the day after the dreaded "spring forward" launch of DST.

In 2019, that's today, March 11, for those of you who haven't been paying attention, or are slow on the uptake, or both. If flipping the DST switch has got you a bit bleary-eyed and slow-witted, then celebrate National Napping Day by checking out for 30 minutes to an hour. Most experts agree that the benefits of napping are both real and potent. People who "top up" during the workday have more energy, better mental acuity, and are generally happier. It's a super-trifecta of wellness.

So from us to you, Happy National Napping Day. If you're using TestOut Continuing Education products today to build your tech skills and work toward certification, then go ahead and take a nap. We give you full permission. Actually, take a nap every day. Most employers are legally required to give workers 15-minute breaks twice per day. Combine those breaks into a 30-minute power nap and watch your productivity go through the roof.