NASA has determined that sleeping on the job is good for you — at least if you are an airline pilot.
NASA and the FAA studied the matter during the 1980s and 1990s. Teams of commercial airline pilots flying scheduled routes between Hawaii, Japan and Los Angeles were picked. One team was allowed a 40 minute nap during the cruise portion. The other was not. Results showed that the sleepers had 34 percent fewer performance lapses during the later stages of the flight and better reaction time.
NASA Says Sleep