SLEEPING BUG HITS THE UK'S WEARY WORKFORCE, ACCORDING TO PERTEMPS RESEARCH

A quarter of UK workers admit to falling asleep at work, in locations ranging from the staff canteen to reception, according to new research by independent recruitment group Pertemps.

The survey, which quizzed 500 industrial and commercial workers across the UK, found that the majority of workplace snoozing involved short naps of no longer than 10 minutes. However, one in 10 of those who admitted nodding off on the job claimed they were asleep for more than half an hour.

When asked why they thought they were tired, nearly half blamed workplace stress, 34 per cent blamed long hours and 22 per cent said they had difficulty sleeping the previous night. For some though the fatigue was self-inflicted - 18 per cent said they had burnt the candle at both ends and had been socialising the previous night.

The most common places to catch a nap during working hours were in a car or vehicle (32 per cent), at a desk (25 per cent), in the canteen (24 per cent) and in the toilets (18 per cent). Seventeen per cent admit snoozing during boring meetings, and five per cent grabbed a nap on the reception's comfortable seating.

More bizarre sleeping places were also uncovered by the research. A city worker admitting taking regular catnaps curled up in a shower cubicle in the staff bathroom. A marketing executive achieved infamy in her company for taking a regular afternoon siesta under her desk. And one building professional admitted snoozing 30 foot up in the air in the cockpit of his crane.

Janet McGlaughlin, a director of Pertemps, said: "A tired worker is obviously not as productive as a fully rested one, so this research will naturally be of some concern to line managers, particularly as many respondents indicated long hours and too much work was to blame. "However, workers also have a duty to make sure they don't turn up to work exhausted by not socialising to excess during the working week and making sure they get enough sleep each night.

"This is particularly crucial for manual workers as there are clearly safety implications if drowsy people are operating heavy machinery."

PERTEMPS TOP TIPS FOR KEEPING FATIGUE AT BAY:

1. Drink plenty of water - one of the most common causes of excessive tiredness during the day is dehydration.
2. Avoid coffee - while it contains the stimulant caffeine, which will give you a short-term boost, it will also dehydrate you rapidly - leaving you feeling more tired in the long run.
3. Get enough sleep - the average adult needs between seven and eight hours. Avoid late nights out during the week, and try not to get less than seven hours - if you do, go to bed early the next night to top up.
4. Eat a balanced diet - eating regularly is crucial to maintain energy levels, with carbohydrate-rich fruits and grains particularly effective for fuelling your body. Having a regular diet, with the recommended five a day portions of fruit, will also help.
5. Get some fresh air - if you are feeling drowsy, take a walk or open a window to wake yourself up.