Nap | featured news

At two airports in the United States and about a half-dozen overseas, travelers have a new option: rooms for rent right in the terminal.

A third air traffic controller has been fired for sleeping on the job, even as some say naps should be allowed during working hours to enhance controller attentiveness.

The prospect alone could renew focus on pilot fatigue and research that suggests controlled catnaps might actually make flying safer.

The first officer of the Northwest Airlines jet that missed its destination by 150 miles says there was no fight in the cockpit and no one had fallen asleep.

For years, napping has been derided as a sign of laziness. We are "caught" napping or "found asleep at the switch". But lately it has garnered new respect, thanks to scientific evidence that midday dozing benefits both mental acuity and overall health. A slew of recent studies have shown that naps boost alertness, creativity, mood, and productivity in the later hours of the day.