Working in the land of Nod...

Sleeping at work, or at least a complete lack of focus due to little or no sleep, affects more employees than most would have thought.

You are probably familiar with the situation : You've had a massive night out, whether it was your best friend's birthday or just a chance to catch up with old mates, you've been up studying all night, or you just couldn't miss the 24 hour Gossip Girl marathon - and when you arrive at work, you find it impossible to keep your eyes open.

According to a study compiled by corporate health specialist Health Works, which surveyed over 425 employers in the field of occupational health and safey and also human resource professionals, almost 63% of employees claimed they have had less than the recommended 7 - 8 hours of sleep a night and are therefore sleep deprived.

Furthermore, the survey showed that almost four in five workers (78%) admitted to having felt too tired to perform basic duties.

While no statistics were gathered to measure the number of people who actually slept or fell asleep at work, one fifth of employees said that staying up too late was their reason for feeling fatigued at work.

Fool Proof Excuses When Caught Sleeping At Work

• This is just a 15 minute power-nap like they raved about in that time management course

• I was working smarter - not harder

• Phew! I musta left the top off the white out/liquid paper

• Oh, I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on our mission statement and envisioning a new paradigm

• This is one of the seven habits of highly effective people

• I was testing the keybord for drool-resistance

• That cold medicine I took last night is strong - it just wont wear off

• I'm actually doing a Stress Level Elimination Exercise Plan (SLEEP) I learnt at the last mandatory seminar you made me attend

• This is in exchange for the six hours last night when I dremt about work

• I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work-related stress

• They told me at the blood bank this might happen

• I thought you were gone for the day

• I was testing my theory that studies the relationship between productivity and sleep. It'll need more testing...

• The new secretary went bananas and tried to kill me, so I was playing dead to avoid her wrath