The cost of sleep on companies

>>> it is no secret working in a show like this one, for example, means we get up really early. you know that. a lot of people have jobs where they get up early. so you know what it's like to not feel like you got enough sleep. a study shows when you don't get enough shuteye, you're a lot less productive at work. that is impacting the bottom line for many companies.

>>> just a few questions, are you sleeping at night?

>> he doesn't sleep at all.

>> reporter: americans aren't just sleepless in seattle anymore -- [ banging ]

>> birthday time is over. go make up for all the work you missed had you were taking your nap.

>> reporter: or shooti -- or snoozing at the office. a whop 41 million of us don't get enough sleep at night. you should get eight at night, 1/3 get about six.

>> on a good night i get four hours. on a bad night i get at least two.

>> possible that being sleep deprived and not having enough rest makes me not as sharp as i should be.

>> reporter: according to a harvard study, sleepy workers cost companies a lot.

>> if we treated machinery like we're treating the human body , we would be accused of reckless endangerment.

>> reporter: businesses lose more than $63 billion every year because the drier whoa drag themselves in -- dreary who drag themselves are aren't as productive.

>> slower reaction time . and in terms of cognitive ability, you can't process information as well. you don't remember. you start to forget things. you're not creative.

>> reporter: now some companies like " huffington post " are actually helping employees get away from it all by installing futuristic nap pods like this one. excuse me.

>> reporter: outsiders looking in who might say, gosh, at huffington, she's encouraging laziness.

>> oh, god, not at all. encouraging actually productivity. i think sleep is a performance enhancement tool.

>> reporter: " huffington post " editor-in-chief insisted on two nap rooms for the 300-plus who staff for around-the-clock news operation.

>> you come up to the nap room. a little bit of -- little bit of this action.

>> reporter: that's rich.

>> and then 15 minutes in this bad boy , i am knocking the ball out of the park, my friend.

>> reporter: so what do you do if your company won't spring for fancy chairs and isn't dedicated to middle of the day shuteye? get creative.

>> where do i nap? anywhere i can find a place.

>> at your desk. you see what's there, and you can doze off for a second or two.

>> back of my chair. the bus.

>> i have a six-foot sofa in my office which, being 6'2" doesn't quite work out.

>> the subway.

>> in the past, i've had maybe a couch in my office, i could close the door .

>> in someone else's car.

>> if you've got a couch and a dark office, you should share with somebody who needs a nap.

>> good night, everybody.