A few years ago, I returned to work after having my first child, and found myself taking surreptitious trips to the washrooms. The reason? Back then, as the mother of a teething baby, I was often severely sleep deprived. So, in a desperate attempt to keep my mind alert, I would sometimes sneak into the bathroom stalls, where I would doze for a few minutes on the cold linoleum floor.

It was not a particularly comfortable or dignified place to nap but I felt embarrassed telling my colleagues that I needed sleep and could not find anywhere else discreet. And those secret minutes were surprisingly effective at recharging me - even on the cold floor.

But is it time for us all to rethink those attitudes towards napping - at work, or anywhere else? That is a question I have been pondering in recent days, after I attended the Elly awards in New York at which Arianna Huffington, creator of The Huffington Post, was honoured.