'Siesta syndrome' food for thought
 |  "Siesta syndrome" is typically caused by tiredness, boredom or hunger. |
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It's not just Spanish workers who feel the need for an afternoon siesta.
According to new research, three-quarters of office staff say they are less productive in the afternoon with more than half admitting to making mistakes during that time.
Tiredness, boredom and hunger were the main reasons given by employees for producing less work after lunch. Avenance, the catering firm that commissioned the survey, said "siesta syndrome" was costing companies millions of dollars a year.
The study of 1,000 British workers revealed that most workers' productivity peaked at midday before dropping off sharply between 2pm and 4pm.
Among "siesta syndrome" sufferers, nearly a quarter said they were up to 50 percent less productive during the afternoon, while one in 10 put their drop off in productivity at 90 to 100 percent.
More than twice as many men -- who were also 10 percent more likely than women to make a mistake -- suffered the highest drop in productivity.
"Not only has our research shown that workers are significantly less productive during the afternoon but the majority admit to making mistakes during this time," said Avenance CEO Mike Audis.
"Less work and costly errors means siesta syndrome is having a devastating impact on a company's bottom line and its reputation."
With companies under increasing pressure to squeeze the maximum output from their workforces, the old-fashioned lunch break is becoming increasingly rare with more and more employees choosing, or feeling pressured, to eat at their desks.
Even in Spain, where many workplaces have traditionally closed between 2pm and 5pm, there have been calls to bring office routines in line with the nine-to-five rhythm more common elsewhere in Europe.
But Audis said employers could improve the well being and productivity of their staff by encouraging them to take morning, lunch and afternoon breaks and to eat healthy, well-balanced food during the day.
Dietician Raffaella Piovesan said skipping meals and eating the wrong sorts of food were the main reasons for an afternoon dip.
"If workers feel they don't have time for lunch or don't have the option of healthy food being available within the office, it's no wonder that by 2pm sugar levels are so low they affect brain activity levels," said Piovesan.
"Workers should try to eat foods such as fresh fish, chicken and vegetables, which slowly release energy throughout the day. Actually leaving your desk and heading to a workplace restaurant or even getting a breath of fresh air outside are also great ways of ensuring that your body and mind fires on all cylinders throughout the day."
One company that has successfully tackled siesta syndrome is Internet provider Yahoo!, which has developed a subsidized restaurant to encourage healthy eating. Staff are also provided with fresh fruit every day.
Yahoo! sales director Alison Raey said the company had benefited from a 350 percent return in revenue since introducing the measures.
Raey said: "Particularly for companies like ours which have a large sales force, keeping our employees healthy and productive is absolutely crucial -- if the team aren't alert and full of energy, sales figures drop dramatically.
"Our staff restaurant stays open all day so people can eat healthy meals and snacks whenever it suits. However, to fend off the significant drop in productivity levels after lunch, we also provide our staff with free fresh fruit.
"From research, we've found that for every £1 invested in providing fruit and subsidising staff meals, £3.50 is returned in revenue through increasing productivity. A 350 percent return on investment is enough to provide other companies with food for thought."
