The Associated Press | Posted: Friday, February 2, 2007 6:00 pm
PARIS — The French already enjoy a 35-hour work week and generous vacation. Now the health minister wants to look into whether workers should be allowed to sleep on the job.
France plans to spend $9 million this year to improve public awareness about sleeping troubles. About one in three French people suffer from them, the ministry says.
Fifty-six percent of French complain that a poor night’s sleep has affected their job performance, according to the ministry.
“Why not a nap at work? It can’t be a taboo subject,” Health Minister Xavier Bertrand said. He called for further studies and said he would promote on-the-job naps if they prove useful.
France’s state-run health insurance provider will send letters explaining the importance of good sleep. The Health Ministry’s Web site offers tips on how best to get a good night’s rest.
The ministry’s online “Passport to Sleep” recommends cutting down on coffee, tea, colas, and athletic activity after 8 p.m., shunning TV time or working late in the evening, and listening better to the body’s own sleep signals, such as yawning.