Heads of state, heads of government and other members of the ruling elite have to be alert - always, because they are on watch all the time. Not only are their policies and public stand scrutinised but their personal lives are also never away from public glare.

And some of the famous men who have been formulating laws and executing them are at times caught napping in public. Are they sleep-deprived or are they stressed out, or do they just take a short power nap ahead of a busy day. Or it could be that the leaders have been missing on their forty winks as they flit across different cities. Whatever the case, the camera has never missed catching them sleeping or yawning.

Here are images of former British prime ministers Gordon Brown and Tony Blair and other top officials who were caught yawning or dozing off in public: