Why I Told the BBC We Should Celebrate Falling Asleep at Work
- Sam Fillingham
- Mar 18
- 3 min read
On Monday, I sat in the BBC Radio Derby studio with Ian and the team. The air was warm, the energy was high, and the topic was... well, a bit scandalous.
Ian had recently rested his eyes during an all-staff meeting. The room laughed. His producers teased him. But when they asked for my professional opinion as a Rest Expert, I didn't join in the jokes.
I told Ian we should celebrate him.
Why? Because in a world that is actively designed to keep us scrolling, striving, and burning out, listening to your body’s SOS signal is a radical act of reclamation. As I shared on air, honoring that moment of fatigue is the first step toward burnout recovery.
From CEO to Nap Club Founder
I haven't always been a Rest Expert in Derbyshire. For 17 years, I climbed the ladder in the Civil Service and eventually became a Charity CEO. I was successful by every corporate kpi, but I wasn't happy. My heart was heavy, and my nervous system was permanently stuck in a red zone of chronic stress.
It took a long journey through burnout and complex PTSD to lead me to the practice that changed my life: Yoga Nidra.
What is Yoga Nidra?
(The Science of NSDR)
During the interview, Ian asked if he was "inadvertently doing Yoga Nidra" when he drifted off. The answer is: almost.
Yoga Nidra, or "Yogic Sleep," is a form of Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR). It is a guided meditation that takes you through the five layers of consciousness down to the Delta brainwave state. This is the state of deep, physiological healing where the body actually repairs itself.
The Evidence for Rest:
The 1:4 Ratio: Scientifically, 1 hour of Yoga Nidra can be as restorative as 4 hours of conventional sleep.
The Sleep Supplement: It isn't a replacement for a night’s rest, but it is the ultimate "vitamin" for a sleep-deprived brain.
Nervous System Regulation: It restores clarity, unlocks creativity, and calms a mind frayed by modern "hustle culture."
The "Corporate Control" of Our Attention
One of the most important points we discussed at BBC Radio Derby was the reality of modern fatigue. We have a collective problem with sleep because there are multibillion-dollar corporations with business plans designed to keep us awake.
They want us scrolling. They want us engaged. They want us productive at all costs. Choosing to rest, choosing to step away from the phone and into your inner world is how we take our power back. It’s why I founded Nap Club and the Rest Nest in Buxton.
How to Start Your Own Rest Revolution
You don’t have to quit your job to find peace (though it took me seven years to make that leap!). You can start by honoring the small signals your body sends you today:
* Ditch the Phone in Bed: Your phone is a portal to the outer world. To move into the inner world of rest, the screen has to go.
* Find a "Rest Nest": Whether it's a 10-minute short nap or gaze out the window or a full Yoga Nidra session, give yourself permission to be still.
* Celebrate the Pause: If you find yourself resting your eyes during a long day, don't apologise. Your body is doing exactly what it was designed to do: survive and recover.
I have recently opened up more days at the Rest Nest in Buxton and beyond for those looking to experience this deep, restorative peace firsthand. Whether you want to join a local public session or bring the Nap Club revolution to your workplace to combat employee burnout, I am here to help you move from frazzled to flourished.
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