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Do you ever feel like you're on a different schedule to everyone around you? Do you find yourself yawning at the dinner table while everyone around you is buzzing with energy? Or maybe you're feeling drained during the mid morning no matter how many hours of sleep you get? It simply doesn't feel like you’re getting enough sleep? This might be down to not understanding your chronotype or otherwise known as your biological body clock, and how it affects your productivity. What is a chronotype and where does it come from? Your chronotype controls your body's natural tendencies to fall asleep and wake up during the day. It can be used to explain why some people find it difficult to sleep at night or even reach a state of tiredness at all. Your chronotype is usually closely related to your circadian rhythm, which is responsible for your sleep-wake cycle and the release of melatonin in response to a list of factors such as temperature and light. The major difference between this and your chronotype however is that your circadian rhythm can be trained through is referred to as zeitgebers such as light and your sleep routine. Your chronotype can not be altered but may change naturally over your lifetime as our bodies and brains age. Your chronotype comes from the length of your PER3 gene amongst others. Chronotypes can vary from person to person due to a list of factors including age, genetics and possibly even geographical location due to the change in daylight hours. But there seems to be a general rule that when we are born; we start with an earlier chronotype and typically this gets pushed back as we reach adolescence, this may be why people say teenagers are lazy when really, they're just adapting to a shift in their chronotype! It then tends to get earlier as we approach our mid 20s. The amount your chronotype adjusts differs from person to person some people may see a couple hours shift in the time they want to go to bed other may see little difference. Although as we said you cannot change your chronotype, you can use your knowledge of it to better understand your body clock. Not only can it improve your productivity and the quality of your sleep, but finding a sleep schedule that best suits you will have a positive effect on your mental health! It's found that it can make us less tired throughout the day, more cheerful, achieve a healthier lifestyle and help us to be more tolerant of your moral judgment of others. Understanding your internal clock will also allow you to come up with a day to day schedule that best suits you and help you to become more organised. Figuring out your own chronotype Scientists usually describe two chronotypes: eveningness and morningness, otherwise known as night owls and early birds (sometimes known as morning larks) Many say chronotypes fall on a spectrum, and with most people lying somewhere in between eveningness and morningness, researchers devised the term “hummingbirds” to explain their chronotype. There are two main questionnaires that scientists have developed. These are the Morningness versus Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ). The MEQ test focuses on your wake and sleep times while the MCTQ tries to understand your chronotype by asking a list of questions about your range of activities, for example meal and exercise times. So, I bet the question you're wondering now is how to find and understand which chronotype best explains you, right? To figure out your chronotype, think about what time you would prefer to wake up on a day off, completely free of any responsibilities. You probably already know off the top of your head whether you prefer to wake up early or late, if not you could use one of the questionnaires i mentioned above. Whichever way you decide to find out your chronotype, there is no doubt that there are only positives to finding it. Not only will it benefit your overall health and productivity - it might just be the missing key to unlocking the best sleep of your life! If you’re interested in investing in a Rest Space for your workplace. Get in touch to find out more!

Insomnia is the collective term for problems affecting your sleep on 3 or more nights in a week for an ongoing period of time. These three types includes: Transient - sleep issues caused by recent stresses and lasts for less than 1 week Acute - sleep issues caused by a stressful change or life event e.g. the death of a loved one, a serious medical diagnosis, new prescription etc and can lasts up to 3 months Chronic - sleep issues for more than 3 months and can be caused by irregular sleeping patterns, relationships, stress, neurological or physical disorders, medications etc. But it’s not always what you think it is. It can affect every aspect of your life, from social wellbeing to physical and mental health; it’s not a disease that causes a lack of sleep. Instead it’s regarded as a symptom of other issues. Therefore the treatments of insomnia usually targets the root cause, which is very commonly stress. In a survey of 1590 adults in the UK, CIPHR found that the most common cause of stress (39%) was lack of sleep and the second was financial worries. Essentially, sleep itself becomes stressful, which can spiral into insomnia. It’s relatively normal to feel overwhelming stress around sleep and work; it’s not surprising that 1 in 3 people have dealt with insomnia, but it is definitely something that needs addressing. It can be impossible to juggle work, family, health and sleep and it can be debilitating. Unfortunately, many people suffer in silence because of its commonality (essentially: “everyone’s stressed, I should just deal with it”) but as with any symptom, insomnia is a big red warning light that something is going wrong, and needs your attention. Sleep is one of our basic needs therefore if you have any issues with your sleep you should go visit your doctor, just as you would with any issues with eating or moving. According NHS guidelines on insomnia, you should see a your doctor for sleep if: changing your sleeping habits has not worked you have had trouble sleeping for months your insomnia is affecting your daily life in a way that makes it hard for you to cope Employees who cannot get adequate sleep at home for whatever reason, often dread coming into work in (reasonable) fear of the harm that it does to their physical and mental health. Not to mention that napping can also just be part of the healthy sleep cycle of some people. It is possible to prevent some of the stress by having a place to rest during the day. A safe place to rest in the workplace can be a necessary arrangement for some people, and could be a step towards reducing the overwhelming numbers of preventable insomnia in the UK. It prevents declining health when getting enough sleep at home is not possible, and also reduces stress surrounding the issue which can result in better sleep. It's important to note that not all insomniacs use napping to reduce fatigue but for those that do, it gives them freedom to rest when they need it most. https://www.ciphr.com/workplace-stress-statistics/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15301996/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia/

Do you have trouble sleeping? Angering your partner with your persistent snoring? Or are you the one on the receiving end of it? Sleep is one of the most necessary human functions and yet we can struggle to have a good night’s rest. Sometimes, we can be our own worst enemies: late nights, caffeine, or tapping away on our mobiles before bed - we know it's bad and yet we do it anyway! Tut tut... But even when we do eventually build up the inner resistance to rid ourselves of these unhelpful and arbitrary habits, we still can struggle with sleep and it's FRUSTRATING. We all want better sleep but sometimes the answers aren't there. Or so you think. Let's go back. WAYYY back. Our ancestors used to be superhuman. No seriously! The great poet Homer around the 8th century B.C. describes sponge fishermen tying themselves to rocks and diving down over 100 meters to cut sponges from the seafloor. This underwater supernatural feat is trailed throughout history and can still be found to this day. James Nestor, the incredible journalist, and author wrote in his book ‘DEEP’ of the Ama; a group of freediving women who go to incredible depths in the ocean daily. So what does this have to do with sleep? Well, I'm not telling you to jump in the water for a good night's kip! But as humans, we don’t know how to optimize our breathing anymore. We got lazy. We’ve forgotten the long-lost art of breathing. Something our ancestors unlocked many years ago and used to hold their breaths to free dive to the ocean's seabed. Let me ask a question: Do you breathe through your nose or your mouth? Your nose is designed to help you breathe safely and optimally. During nasal breathing, your nose warms, filters, and moisturizes the air inhaled making it easier for your lungs to use. Ben Greenfield estimates in his book ‘Boundless’ that our nose hairs protect us from ingesting over 20 billion particles of foreign matter each day. It also improves oxygen circulation levels by producing Nitric Oxide which helps expand blood vessels. This can improve athletic performance, reduce stress/ anxiety, and the holy grail... Improve our beloved sleep. Here are some other benefits that have been connected to nasal breathing: Reduces risk of bad breath Reduces risk of tooth decay Supports mouth and tooth formation Improve lung volume Slows breathing rate down Lowers risk of high blood pressure Lowers risk of allergies Aids the immune system Engages and strengthens the diaphragm Lowers the risk of snoring Lowers the risk of sleep apnea “Nasal respiration provides the most efficient mechanism for introducing oxygen into the lungs and body for overall health” - Dr Jefferson of the General Dentistry Advisory Board There's no denying the positive effects of nasal breathing however it's always important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. In some situations, you may be prevented from nasal breathing by congestion, blockages, small nostrils, or a deviated septum. We recommend consulting a medical professional for help if you’re suffering from structural issues such as a deviated septum. The best way to breathe Breathing experts recommend people practice nasal diaphragmatic breathing (Belly breathing). This involves breathing in through the nose gently, fully engaging the diaphragm causing it to contract which raises the ribcage and allows the lungs to expand fully. This is the fundamental method that allowed our ancestors to dive deep into the world’s ocean and what you’ll use to finally train yourself to better Zzzzzz. How to improve your breathing Now breathing most of the time is unconscious, an involuntary function that doesn’t get much thought. We just do it. The respiratory centre and our muscle memory take care of everything for us. So how are you expected to control your breathing when unconscious in dreamland? Well, you can’t, not exactly at least... It's more about regularly changing your breathing daily while awake to reprogram the body's natural breathing pattern to nasal diaphragmatic breathing. So the key to all of this is... AWARENESS. Bring attention to your breathing throughout your day, take part in meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, even singing regularly improves breathing habits. Get familiar with your breath as much as possible and add breathing exercises into your daily routine. This daily practice will improve the sensation of breathing and strengthen the respiratory muscles. Below I've linked some of the most useful techniques to improve your breathing, along with a useful video. 1. ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING This is a common technique used in yoga. It requires you to close one nostril with your finger and then inhale, hold and exhale through the opposite nostril where the air is free to flow through. This is then alternated with the opposite nostril. To try alternate nostril breathing follow the link below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vgl9__Y0tY 2. BREATH OF FIRE This technique is used in kundalini yoga. It involves strong, quick bursts of breath consecutively, finding a nice consistent rhythm throughout. Think of it like a dog panting, however, it's breathing through the nose instead of the mouth. The technique may take some practice at first but is known to be extremely helpful with improving concentration once mastered. To try breath of fire follow the link below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8akmRraFk Additional tips for better sleep Consider these tips to further improve your breathing while asleep: Adjusting sleeping position Side sleeping- Use a pillow to elevate your head and place a pillow in between your legs to keep your spine aligned which keeps your airways open, allowing you to breathe without any obstructions. Back sleeping- Use a pillow to elevate your head and bend your knees, placing a pillow under your knees. This again keeps the spine aligned, however, sleeping on your back can result in your tongue blocking the breathing tube. For this reason, we recommend sleeping on the side more than back sleeping, for a less disruptive sleep. Mouth taping Using mouth tape gently promotes breathing through the nose by comfortably keeping your mouth closed during sleep. There are specific products designed for this however most sports and surgical tapes use non-toxic, easy-to-remove materials also. To start it is recommended to apply a small amount of tape to the centre of your closed lips during the day for 10 minutes to get used to the sensation. Once you’re comfortable with the tape applied and you don’t feel any difficulties breathing. Apply the tape just before bed to induce nasal breathing all through the night. Before attempting this method, consult a medical professional or your dentist first, to see if they recommend trying it. People who struggle with nasal breathing due to obstruction or structural damage won’t benefit from this method and it may be a hindrance to the quality of sleep. So now you know, with a few natural fixes and lifestyle changes, you can improve your sleep permanently. Which is what we at Rest Space are all about. It’s no secret we’re strong advocates of sleeping and its staggering advantages on work productivity. This is why we want you and your employees to improve your sleeping habits tenfold. And what better way to practice everything you’ve learnt than in our state of art product ‘The Everest’. Your own private ventilated space, with installed Bluetooth speakers and noise reduction from the outside world. Allowing you to fully immerse yourself in your well-being and sleep. We've created the best space to rest. If you’re interested in investing in a Rest Space for your workplace. Get in touch to find out more!

Everyone wants the best talent in their company, and for them to want to stay as the business grows. Whether that is finding a new approach into retaining employees especially post-pandemic, or introducing new strategies into attracting the most skilled individuals. These present the biggest challenges in today’s ever-changing world. Crafting the best offices, putting on a good first impression, and offering flexible working that would allow people to work beyond their best abilities has become more crucial than ever, as well as ensuring the top talent remains productive and happy to continue being loyal to their company. Both potential candidates’ and present employees' expectations of a good working space is a huge topic these days and it is important to be able to adjust to the working atmosphere and conditions that would be ideal today, compared to what people would have imagined suitable 10, 20, or 30 years ago. Offering Flexible Working With the pandemic, working from home became the norm, and it soon became recognisable that a large percentage of the employed population enjoyed the flexibility it offered, with people being able to have more control of their routines, including better sleeping patterns and being able to rest more - which is, of course, important to be able to do their best at work. A lot of people were also found considering career changes or starting their own businesses, becoming self-employed. Cece Philips, a 24-year-old history graduate from London, quit her job at one of the world’s biggest advertising companies to follow her artistic dreams. “I’ve gone from working a large office in Soho to being at home painting in my bedroom,” she told the BBC. More flexible working options may enable employees to get the benefits they seek in being self-employed while still working for your company. And for those with more passions, an opportunity to pursue their passions while still contributing to your company. The Great Resignation is a phenomenon that describes record numbers of people leaving their jobs after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. Companies now have to navigate the ripple effects of the pandemic and re-evaluate how to retain talent. (source: What is 'The Great Resignation'? An expert explains) The employee desire for flexibility and employer concern is driving the future of work. With a survey conducted by The Harris Poll, they found two main reasons pushing people to make career changes so suddenly: one being that employers felt they weren’t being understood enough or “providing empathy”, and the second being that people have begun “leaning into flexibility” and how they work. With this in mind, given the last two years, it is important for employers to see what changes they may need to make within their companies. This could be making it part of company culture to talk openly with employees about future career goals and facilitating these goals. Another goal would be to understand your individual employee needs and create the work environment to support them. Creating the Right Workplace Notable branding within a modern working area, offering rest spaces, providing a positive work-life balance, with the option of flexible working, are all key points to take into consideration when revisiting how comfortable one could be in a business to help it thrive as a whole. Be creative and bold with the design of the area that is made available for your employees to succeed! It contributes to improving company culture and is sure to lift up the performance of the staff, as having a resting area would too. Many reports have shown that naps as short as 10 minutes can give people a boost to carry on for the rest of their working day. “Not only does it help your immunity, but there is very clear evidence that it increases your cognitive processing, your cognitive thinking and your creative thinking,” as said by sleep expert James Maas. With an area for employees to be able to rest midday they are more likely to feel less stressed or tired, and more appreciative of their job. A bit of sleep between tasks can create healthier mindsets, and it may also make them feel more seen by their employers. It's also a great way to encourage current talent to come into office, and to captivate potential talent! Know Your Company's Values When searching for new talent, it’s vital to have a clear view of your company’s goals and values. This would give future candidates a better idea of how good of a match they would be for your company and avoid any issues that may arise, such as the candidate wanting to leave after a short while due to having different expectations. It’s critical to have the right target audience in mind when searching for these candidates. Employees are more likely to become more engaged within the company and have better chances of developing their work if their values align with the business values. It would also be a good attracting point if the business is aware of what their purpose is, defining what they do and why. It is always important to make your staff feel respected and satisfied with what they have as well as what they are doing in their role. All employees should be seen as equal and listened to. Being able to acknowledge and discuss what is being done and what could be done for the workplace well-being of the team and future prospects to keep them for the long run of growing a company is the right way forward. It may be difficult adjusting to the changing trends in the workplace nowadays, but starting with being able to recognise that something needs to be done is always a good move. Letting employees flourish will evolve the company in itself, and the first step is to outlining how to be able to do that. A few simple choices such as giving the option of flexible-working, making the workplace more enjoyable, and having an open view of the company’s missions can make a big change to the way an organisation works. The outcome will bring happier, more loyal employees that produce excellent performances, leading to faster and better growth of the company. For any more information, or questions about how to follow through with some of our tips and ideas, feel free to get in contact with our team at Rest Space who are more than happy to help!

With the new year in place, it's also the perfect time to set new goals. That's what January is for, right? Testing those resolutions and trying to stick to them! Whether it's at home or in the workplace, it's important to look after yourself in both aspects, and what better way to start 2022 than with planning new ways of taking care of your body both mentally and physically. As the world learned back in 2020, things can turn around pretty quickly and we don't know where our lives will lead us. That could be a new change to permanently working at home, or going back to the workplace after a long time with new rules in place, or possibly even a complete career change. Especially with lockdowns, stricter safety measures, and many all over the world spending more time at home over the last two years, taking care of oneself and one's wellness has become a bigger topic. Guardian Australia recently asked its readers to share how the pandemic has made them rethink their lives, in which one reader mentioned that "the pandemic has made me consider working differently" after beginning their working life with long hours, and another stated that "physical health has become more of a priority" in which they were able to focus on their weight management and hair loss with a change of pace in their work. With that being said, one suggestion we at Rest Space strongly recommend for a new year goal is focusing on our sleep and how we manage our routine. It may sound so simple, but it's something that still needs a lot of research and exploring. Rest is vital for a human to be able to function well and that isn't just the 7, 8, 9 hours our bodies should be getting per night, but also a power nap throughout the day. This is for anyone working in any kind of role or industry, in case you may be thinking this is targeted at those only working extremely long shifts. A quick break for your brain and body can help you regain your energy to continue with what the rest of your day brings at similar levels pre-nap, no matter if it is a workday or a day off! Whatever it is we may be doing, as little as 10-15 minutes of your eyes closed can leave us feeling more refreshed, more productive, and more motivated. Sleep is important for a human to be able to navigate through their day-to-day life with complete focus and concentration. A UK survey has found that one in four doctors in the NHS are so tired that their ability to treat patients has become impaired. One consultant mentioned that their "sleep deprivation was affecting my daily work and I didn’t realise it until a near miss happened". Though important to note a nap shouldn't be substituted for missed hours in one's sleeping schedule, it can reduce the risk of any kinds of accidents and harm, as well as reduce the chances of illnesses such as heart disease. The immune system is strengthened by receiving the rest we need and it is essential we maintain a schedule that aligns with our body's preferences. A short quiet time per day can increase your alertness, clear your mind and reduce stress. Being able to implement such a booster into your day brings you more benefits and positives for yourself and your body than one may think or know. And of course, if you are returning to work in the office, in person, maybe at the hospital - wouldn't it be great to have an actual rest area? Or even just some time to nap? You may have heard stories of people napping at work (and even while working from home). In a study done by Plushbeds, 68% of respondents admitted to having napped at work before. With an aim for napping to become more common, napping areas and nap pods come into question. It'd be great to bring up the idea for your workplace if it isn't already being discussed - more employees and employers should be encouraged to take these resting factors into account. And this is what we strive for at Rest Space - to bring more awareness of the importance of sleep, and normalising napping! Make it an area to focus on if you haven't yet got many ideas and are still looking at ways to make this a better year. We are happy to provide a source of materials throughout our website, blogs, and other social networks, as well as become a point of contact for more information!

Introduction At the risk of sounding over dramatic, creativity is dying. Now if experts are to be believed this is a major issue, ideas are profitable things: “CEOs say creativity is the #1 factor for future success.” – IBM “Creativity is or is related to 9 of the top 10 skills that global executives say is essential for 2020 and beyond.”– World Economic Forum “According to the survey 54% of the hindrance to company growth can be associated with a lack of generation of new usable ideas” – BCG Global Innovation Survey In “The Creativity Crisis ” analysts stated that “ fluid original thinking in the workplace has been on a decline since the 20th century. Employees are generating not only fewer ideas or solutions to open-ended questions or challenges, but also fewer unusual or unique ideas than those in preceding decades”. There are fears in all fields that workers are finding it increasingly difficult to gain inspiration and develop innovative ideas. Now it all sounds doom and gloom but it seems there's a solution that’s surprisingly simple and effective. What if I told you the fix to the workplace creativity crisis should be taking a nap? Not convinced? Well, there’s science to back it up I promise, in the meantime have a look at these famous examples of people napping on the job. Microscopic Dreams Watson Until Dr James Watson saw a winding flight of stairs in a fantasy in 1953, nobody had fostered the possibility of a twofold helix twisting design for our DNA. The game changed that evening, when Watson took a nap and saw it, proceeding to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962. Kekule Kekule, the German scientific expert who found the ring design of benzene is viewed as one of the chief authors of present day natural science. Kekule says he had finished work and drifted off to sleep at his desk. He saw molecules spinning and moving before his eyes. The molecules then, at that point, started to reassemble themselves into long lines that appeared to move about in a snake like movement. As he watched the snake dance, the vision advanced until the snake ate up its own tail. Bogey Tales Stevenson Robert Louis Stevensons dream-prompted noises woke his significant other, Fanny, who then woke him up accordingly. Surprised, he told her, "Why’d you wake me? I was dreaming a fine bogey tale." The circumstance took a horrendous turn when Fanny thought the primary draft of the story was garbage and threw it out. Stevenson quickly rewrote the 30,000 word story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in three-days. It wound up selling so well that the book lifted the Stevenson's into the clear financially. Cameron In a meeting on "The Terminator" Blu-Ray, Cameron states he came up with the early idea for the movie franchise while he was bed ridden in Rome. "I was wiped out at that point. I had a high fever." Cameron said. "I was simply lying on the bed thinking and thought of this odd idea….” Thus, a great deal of these fantasy and bad dream characteristics enter the film. Truth be told, the fever dream incredibly motivated the way the T-800 is shown in the movies. Taking Lectures In Your Sleep Einstein A field of cows caused Albert Einstein's ideas of relativity. In his dream, Einstein was talking to a rancher concerning cows being in an electric barrier. However the rancher saw something other than what's expected. Einstein stirred with this, realising that different points of view would cause different perceptions of the same and the theory of relativity started to take shape. Ramanujan The self-educated number related wonder from India Ramanujan, is viewed as one of the best numerical virtuosos to at any point living. The man the movie "the man who knew infinity" was based on. He made considerable commitments to hypothesis of numbers, curved capacities, endless series and demonstrated in excess of 3,000 mathematical theories during his life. Ramanujan said that the understanding for his work came to him in his dreams on many occasions. Ramanujan described that, often as he slept, he would dream of conversations with the Hindu goddess Namakkal. She gave him complex numerical recipes again and again, which he could then test and check after waking. To Be Conscious Or Not To Be So what's happening? Where were these people getting their creative breaks from? And how can this be used to improve workplace creativity? First off we have to be aware of 2 things, the conscious and the unconscious. The conscious is what you're currently giving your attention to, the unconscious is everything else in the background that doesn’t have your attention. Its estimated around 95 percent of your creativity, comes from this unconscious side and these two parts are in constant convocation. For example, say you're trying to come up with a new company logo. While you're there rubbing your chin the conscious mind asks the unconscious mind for some inspiration. The unconscious mind looks through the archives of your memories and brings a few things back, say a memory of a childhood cartoon you watched or a pattern you saw on the way to work but didn’t pay much attention to. These unconscious memories all get knitted together in a package brought back to your conscious surface awareness as the new idea you're waiting for. Now while both the conscious and unconscious are always active one tends to have more influence than the other at different times. The unconscious runs most of the show while your attention is more restful, the conscious while you're more focused and alert. Bridging The Gap Now here’s the interesting bit, short sessions of napping seem to train the mind to “walk” between the conscious and unconscious more often, therefore more easily. This easier communication between the conscious and unconscious mind has been shown to improve creativity, problem solving and innovative thinking greatly. Now the important factor here isn’t just increasing the time of the rest session but increasing the number of rest sessions that day. Over time the two start to “blend” closer together promoting stronger communication between them and therefore greater creativity and problem solving. So what do you think, is creativity on the decline? If you answer yes and you are noticing such problems in your own business perhaps you're in need of one of our resting pods. Take time to contact us to see if we can help your business get back to creativity.

At Rest Space we are proud to offer the best place to rest, our product is designed to provide the most comfortable yet private space to rest. We have researched and built our product with high-quality reusable and sustainable wood, giving it a premium feel while also ensuring it feels homely and cosy. The Rest Space includes colour-changing lights and a Bluetooth speaker to play soothing music to help you fall asleep. All the features included in our pods have been crafted to ensure you can make the most out of your sleep so that you can feel energised, enhance your productivity and improve your overall health. The Stackable Rest Space We are ecstatic with our current version of the Rest Space; but as we expand to different types of workspaces, we also understand the need to save space for our customers who may not have enough room or floor space for several Rest Spaces. As a result, we sat down and brainstormed ways to allow numerous people to use the pod at the same time while maintaining personal space. As of January 2022, we are happy to introduce the stackable pods, a far more space-efficient and transformable Rest Space! We don't believe you should have to choose between space and comfort when you can have both. We recognise that a variety of factors in the workplace might influence an employee's attitude, one of which is the layout of furniture and other necessary materials. Moreover, small and crowded spaces can make us feel uneasy and overwhelmed, which was a key consideration for us during the design and development process. Some examples of workplaces where space can be restricted include hospitals and dentists, train and bus stations, as well as the offices of small businesses. We want our RestSpace to fit into any type of workplace, no matter how big or small while making the most of the available space. Hence, we developed stackable pods to save space while also providing comfort and privacy. For the person using the upper pod, our stackable Rest Space now incorporates a sturdy yet stylish ladder. All of the additional features found in the single pod are also found in this stackable version, meaning that soundproofing and ventilation are as effective as they are in the standalone pods, ensuring a safe and comfortable resting environment. We'd love to hear from you and we appreciate any feedback on our Rest Spaces. We want to be as accommodating as possible to everyone’s sleep and rest needs in different workplaces. If you have any questions or want to learn more about What makes our Rest Space the best place to rest?, or Are nap pods in hospitals here to stay?, do Get in Touch with us to find out more about our RestSpace.

Over the years, napping at work has always been frowned upon. There is a stigma that suggests that you are lazy if you have a nap; but daytime sleepiness at work can leave you feeling drowsy and fatigue. Your sleep the previous night may have been disrupted and left you only getting a short amount of shut eye resulting in you having daytime sleepiness at work. This would affect your concentration at work and increase the risk of mistakes and accidents happening. Having a space to nap would help solve this problem; just getting a 20 minute nap could help boost your productivity and allow you to be more alert. But on the other hand, not having a comfortable space to rest can leave you feeling frustrated and leading your employees to nap in places such as the toilet or on the chair which would be uncomfortable. Having a nap pod in your office would help employees manage their fatigue. The use of nap pods in companies has become popular over the last few years. Multinational companies Google, Samsung and NASA have installed nap pods into their office so that their staff are able to rest and work on their health and wellbeing. Research has shown that nap pods have been the most preferred solution to fixing daytime sleepiness at work over drinking caffeine, eating sugary foods, smoking cigarettes or going for a walk. The NHS Trust The NHS has installed nap pods into dozens of hospitals for a trial The Royal Wolverhampton NHS trust being the first in June 2018. Having nap pods at the hospitals would help overworked doctors and nurses get the best rest they need to be alert and productive at work. Royal Wolverhampton spent £17,000 to put a sleep pod in the A&E unit at New Cross hospital and Cannock Chase hospital. In 2019, Walsall Healthcare trust tried out two pods and a recliner chair. “The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.” said Catherine Griffiths, Director for People and Culture at the Trust. “As well as being used for a power nap the pods and recliners will benefit staff who have had to deal with a distressing, challenging or stressful situation. They can take a few minutes to collect their thoughts and relax before returning to work.” Catherine Griffiths A study from Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust has shown that more staff were taking breaks after the nap pod was introduced from 37% to 69%. A post nap pod survey showed that 81% of staff felt more alert and 83% were more energised after using them. How does Rest Space help? At Rest Space we offer the best place to rest; we have designed our Rest Space sleeping pods using the latest sleep research. Our nap pods have ventilator fans, antimicrobial fabrics and a finishing on the wooden structure which successfully prevents bacteria or dust mites. Soothing lights and sound reduction to help customers fall asleep easier in noisy or busy environments and a privacy lock to ensure that your rest is not interrupted. if you would like to learn more about the power of nap pods and how to make the most out of them, please contact RestSpaceLDN

A 2018 study revealed that ill-health costs UK businesses £61 billion a year with factors such as mental health, lifestyle choices and stress relating to three-quarters of this cost. It’s clear that the cost of employee ill-health far exceeds the potential investment in corporate health and wellbeing. As workplace health and wellbeing becomes more of a priority for employees, companies must begin to consider whether they can afford not to invest in workplace wellbeing. Many companies have already begun to recognise the importance of investing in welfare - the companies with the best results in the 2018 study shared characteristics such as ‘embedding a culture of health’ through high awareness and participation in health and wellbeing schemes. Investing in rest spaces is one very practical way in which companies can embed a culture of health into workplaces. Rest spaces can help tackle issues relating to ill-health by promoting sleep health and relieving stress and fatigue by providing rest facilities for workplaces. There are many advantages to investing in the welfare of employees, through rest spaces or otherwise, including significant financial benefits, a few of which are outlined below. Why should we invest in the health and wellbeing of employees? As stated, poor well-being has a high financial cost. If we isolate mental wellbeing, the total annual cost to UK employers was £32 billion, according to the 2018 study. Of which, £17.2 stems specifically from workplace stress, which is a factor that companies can help elevate through wellbeing initiatives. A workplace attitude that promotes wellbeing helps retain talent and may reduce turnover, and the associated costs. Employees with low levels of well-being are likely to leave their jobs so wellbeing investments may decrease turnover. For diverse talent, who are more likely to face health inequality and therefore ill-health, this shows a commitment to those employees. Investing in wellbeing positively affects your brand. With an employer brand, poor wellbeing culture can lead to the company being seen as less attractive of a place to work with. Of course, investing in well-being increases the employee and customer trust in a brand. Improving and maintaining employee wellbeing boosts productivity in the workplace. Employees are likely to be more productive, motivated and produce better work when their health and wellbeing is supported by employers. When employees can concentrate better, as a result of improving their wellbeing, there tends to be a reduction in incidents and costly mistakes. How can Rest Space help? Rest Space offers a solution to the high cost of ill-health through the product - a fully enclosed, private, clean and stackable place to recharge, rest or nap. Rest spaces are innovative solutions to workplace wellbeing and follow the sleep science behind fatigue, stress and productivity. The high financial costs of fatigue and stress, through sick days, burn out and high turnover, can be evaded through investing in rest spaces. The health and safety risks associated with sleep-deprived employees can also be avoided. Not to mention, the financial benefits of more productive employees producing better, more creative work, with fewer mistakes. Rest Space is an investment that saves companies money in the long run, as we cut costs on the loss associated with the ill health of employees, without sacrificing employee wellbeing. Employees spend at least a third of their time in the workplace and their physical and mental wellbeing must be regarded as important. In addition, the financial cost of not investing in corporate health and wellbeing exceeds the cost of employee ill health. If you’re interested in investing in employee wellbeing and rest spaces - get in touch today.

Here are some of the books inspiring us and are a must read for anyone looking to improve their health, wellbeing and performance. Think of how much we know about food, another basic need, we should know the same amount if not more about sleep. We should know about the ‘vitamins and minerals’ of sleep, about the ‘digestive system’ and how it works. We should know the tips and healthy habits, and what hinders our sleep. We should have learned this in primary school. I have been learning a lot of the habits; we have adapted to cope with sleep loss which can hinder your sleep quality and make your sleep worse. A lot of the things we do to try and get some sleep can also have a negative effect on our sleep quality, but because we don’t understand sleep we don’t realise the impact of these habits. Using alcohol or TV to fall asleep, having caffeine throughout the day, even sleeping tablets can be detrimental to our sleep. There is a time and place for sleeping tablets and they shouldn’t be used as a catch all solution to sleep problems. “Sleep is the best form of physiologically injected venture capital you could ever wish for. When you’ve had insufficient sleep you can’t think as quickly and you’re not as creative,” - Matthew Walker Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker I have always disliked the fact that building a career means you almost had to lose out on sleep. When I read Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, it was so clear that we as humans were doing things wrong. We gave up our bi-phasic sleeping patterns and relied on caffeine and sugar to power through the day. Why We Sleep was a very comprehensive introduction to the sleep world for us. It was the first in depth book on sleep I touched and introduced me to the complex intertwined world of sleep. It made me realise that when it comes to sleep for most of us, our understanding is at pre-school level. That is pretty bad considering we spend ⅓ of our lives sleeping. We know we sleep because we are tired, we know it makes us feel better, beyond that we don’t know exactly why we get tired? how does it make us feel better? what healthy sleep looks like?. Why We Sleep gave me that first introduction to sleep and allowed me to start to know what to research and learn about. Internal Time: Chronotypes, Social Jet Lag, and Why You're So Tired by Till Roenneberg Internal Time: Chronotypes, Social Jet Lag, and Why You're So Tired by Till Roenneberg was eye opening in helping understand how our internal timing is in conflict with our social timing. It was a very well written account of the impact our circadian rhythm has on our social lifes and vice versa with some great story telling. It helped really see the need to use Rest Space to raise awareness of the various ways we can live a more balanced life especially at work through understanding our bodies better. From there we explored other sleep related books, scientific articles and podcasts and realized that sleep research was in its infancy and is finally starting to get the attention it deserves. Sleep Junkies Podcast It is not a book but it had to make the list. The sleep junkies podcast is just so comprehensive when it comes to all topics about sleep. We feel it is very important for the integrity of our company and the work we do to make sure we are solving the right issues and promoting healthy life changes. These resources have been great ways to stay up to date with the latest developments in the field of sleep. It introduced me to the work of a lot of leading researchers such as Dr Amy M. Bender and Christopher M. Barnes. Take a Nap! Change Your Life by Sara Mednick ‘A consensus emerged that not only is napping beneficial for alertness, mental ability and overall health but our brains are actually programmed for it’ Take a Nap! Change Your Life by Sara Mednick One very underrated book, Take a Nap! Change Your Life by Sara Mednick has been great in bringing together so perfectly the power of what we are creating. This should be on the top of the list for any productivity hack and health hack books. Helping us understand the real human impact and power of the business we are building and also a great guideline to ensure we are helping people rest in healthy ways and not promote unhealthy habits. It is the most comprehensive text we have come across when it comes to napping, written by someone whose work is dedicated to researching napping! ‘Napping is a sign of taking control of your life’ - Sara Mednick Secret World of Sleep by Guy Leschziner The last book we are going to mention is Guy Leschziner the Secret World of Sleep after reading The Nocturnal Brain: Nightmares, Neuroscience, and the Secret World of Sleep by Guy, I was excited to delve into this book. Not everyone's experiences of sleep are equal and many people knowingly suffer from hindering sleep disorders. This book is a fascinating and eye opening account of some of the sleep patients Guy has seen and the challenges in diagnosing and living with these conditions. More awareness around sleep disorders will help those suffering to get the right help and the rest of us to be more understanding and accommodating of what they are going through at work and home. Many of us wouldn’t go to our doctor for sleep issues, yet sleep is a basic need. If we had trouble eating food, medical advice is one of the first points of call, however for many of us when it comes to sleep we suffer for years and years till it gets truly debilitating before we seek help. This book is a great book to understand the complexity of sleep disorders and how to navigate the medical system to get the right help. # This is just a snipit into the amazing sleep books we have read, we'd have to write a book ourselfs to do justice to all of them. Do you have a favorite book or sleep resource? Let us know! Tip: We found reading in the Rest Space is great! Perfect nook to get sunk into a good book.

It has been almost 2 years since the inception of Rest Space. So we would like to share with you how our Rest Space napping pods are designed and the process that goes into how we design the best space to rest. Wooden Structure Starting with the structure of the Rest Space, we decided on a wooden napping pod over futuristic and/or plastic ones to offer a sense of familiarity. Imagine being in a hotel room for the first night, in a lot of cases most people would struggle to fall asleep due to being in a new environment; it's not your mattress, your bedroom but eventually you acclimatise to the room. We can’t offer a replica of everyone’s bedroom but we can offer a sense of comfort. Additionally, we understand that a lot of plastics are not sustainable nor reusable so having wood, we can give the Rest Space a second life later down the line (much much later) due to wood being adaptable, sustainable and recyclable. Enclosed Area, Lights and Sounds We know that a cool, quiet and dark environment would help sleep. The enclosed space offers all of that and it allows you to have an undisrupted nap. You wouldn’t want people pulling your leg or drawing on your face whilst you have a nap in a communal room or on the sofa. We feel vulnerable when we are asleep so privacy is important. We have included colour changeable lights and a bluetooth speaker. As some people prefer to have some illumination or soothing music to help them relax. A study looking at the colour temperature and level of illuminance showed that a low colour temperature helped lower the central nervous system activity and low illumination can be used to lower physiological activity. Both of these should help ease your mind as you sleep in the Rest Space; the lights have been designed so you can pick calming colours but also not be too bright to help with drifting into sleep and coming out of sleep when you are done with your nap. Another survey was conducted where 62% of the respondents used music to help them sleep. The study highlights 4 different factors to why music help them sleep; this includes: Provide - where the music helps stimulates sleep Habit - where the user adopted music as part of their sleep routine State - where the user receives physical and mental state conducive to sleep Distract - where music blocks internal and external stimuli which would otherwise distract the user from sleeping We also know not everyone naps, so the Rest Space can also be used to get some rest and relaxation time or just a quick meditation session. The Mountains We chose mountains as a theme and names for the Rest Space models because of the serenity and calmness they represent. By using a Rest Space, we want you to achieve your peak potential. We placed the mountain on the feet of the Rest Space in order for the user to be able to focus their eyes on them while drifting off into a nap, it should help stop your eyes and mind from wandering off whilst trying to get some rest. Additional Features Cleanliness has always been important to us. Hence why we chose a comfortable but functional vinyl mattress cover with antimicrobial properties. It can be wiped down and you can ensure you are going into a clean and safe environment. On top of that we use an antimicrobial varnish finishing on the high touch areas to stop the spread of materials. In our Everest model we have also incorporated ventilator fans to help the flow of air from the head of the Rest Space to the foot allowing a constant flow of clean air. We hope you enjoy looking into some of the insights we had in designing the Rest Space. We want to ensure that the user understands all the small factors that could contribute to a great rest but also appreciate the details that they can take away and implement in their own bedrooms too. We are happy to receive feedback on our Rest Spaces as we want to be as inclusive as possible to everyone’s sleep needs. Let just know what you think and watch this space for more information and how you can get access to the best space to rest.

We’ve made it! Into the Kings20 accelerator. Here are my thoughts on being part of the accelerator and how its helping [Rest Space] and how we contribute to this eco-system Why we got onto the Kings20 Accelerator The idea for [Rest Space] had been lingering for some time and I decided to start chipping away at it after work. I quickly realized there were a lot of things I needed to learn. I began looking for events and communities that would develop my entrepreneurial skills and business ideas, that's when I came across the events Kings20 run. After attending a lot of their events including a female entrepreneurs weekend retreat I began to really value the momentum and motivation that comes with being around people also trying to set up their own ventures. I had got to the stage, where I decided to quit my job as there just wasn't enough time to focus on [Rest Space] to get it where I needed. At that time applications for the accelerator opened up, Supa and I took every opportunity to strengthen our application as we knew how competitive the process was. From going through the application process we had learnt so much more about our business and how we would like to proceed. This in its self was a valuable exercise. We were accepted onto the program a week after I handed in my notice for work, it was the best birthday present knowing that I won't be spending the next year working in cafes - Only parts of the year, I do still enjoy switching up my work environment. What has the last 3 months been like The first few months has really taken us out of our comfort zone. After pitching to get into the accelerator - with relief we did not think we would have to pitch until we wanted money - we were wrong. We have had the opportunity to pitch in-front of a range of audiences at a number of events held by the accelerator to build awareness about [Rest Space]. Now the thought of pitching doesn't scare me so much and having these opportunities in a safe environment to refine how we present ourselves has been great. Coming from a big company it's been a nice transition to be in a buzzing office, we have great social events planned throughout the year and support from each other. Our first company Christmas lunch was less lonely when you have 20 other ventures joining you. As with all communities, it's important to contribute back, this environment makes it easy. Fully taking part and making the most of what's on offer is really important, but there are other ways whether it's loading the office dishwasher, helping other ventures practice their pitches or sharing our skills and interests there have loads of ways to help keep this Eco-system going. I feel this is important to mention as often people ask what can you get from an accelerator, but like all Eco-systems what you put in is also important. Click here to read more about the Kings'20 2019 cohort #startingup #kings20 #accelerator