Doctors Rally With Candid Napping Pics to Show the Need for Sleep

Earlier this month, a Mexican blog posted a picture of a young medical student caught sleeping at her desk. Widespread criticism followed, until a group of doctors courageously came to her defense and started posting pictures of themselves sleeping at work. The doctors who heroically napped in protest are especially concerned about the importance of sleep in the medical community.

In Mexico, medical residents can be expected to work up to 36-hour shifts during their final years of training. Although the blogger who posted the picture argued that the practice is ethical because doctors enjoy a “good life” once their residency is completed, others, posting under the hashtag #YoTambienMeDormi, dissented. “I've also fallen asleep after operating on one, two, three and even four patients on any regular shift," wrote one such doctor. Many young doctors across the world don’t get enough sleep, often leading to serious medical errors (could the gynecologist accused of leaving his cell phone in a woman’s abdomen earlier this week have been similarly impaired?). Either way, it’s a small step for doctors and a giant leap for napping rights.