Catching Z's on the clock: METRONAPS BRINGS FUTURISTIC 'ENERGYPOD' TO COLORADO.

• Author: Siebrase, Jamie
• Position: STATEOFTHESTATE

An EnergyPod looks like something George Jetson might have used. It's the world's first chair designed specifically for napping in the workplace, according to Christopher Lindholst, CEO of MetroNaps, the New York-based creator of the chair.

Most workers are familiar with the afternoon slump--that dreaded energy crash that hits, like clockwork, halfway between lunch and quitting time. Nearly one-third of employees polled by the National Sleep Foundation reported falling asleep or becoming very sleepy at work, and losses in productivity associated with employee sleepiness cost the U.S. an estimated $63 billion annually.

The good news is that most fatigued employees just need a quick nap. Catnaps, research shows, can maintain or improve an employee's performance and alertness for two to 12 hours post-nap. "Employees are about 30 percent more alert after a nap," Lindholst says.

The EnergyPod features an ergonomically designed zero gravity chair, which reclines and contours at the knees, to relax low-back muscles. A privacy visor blocks out external distractions, while soothing music and voice guides help lull users to sleep. The EnergyPod is also equipped with lights and vibrations to aid in both sleep and waking, and there's an alarm clock to ensure nappers don't snooze too...