Unfortunately, many Spaniards today hardly get their forty winks due to various reasons like long job commutes and long office work hours. Nevertheless, siesta is still embraced in other parts of the world like in Greece, Italy, Nigeria, and the Philippines. Siesta is a sacred tradition in Greek culture.
Traditionally, another important reason for the siesta was to beat the mid-day heat, particularly for workers in the fields. Spain and Italy are hardly alone in this — other countries close to the equator, like Greece, Mexico, Ecuador, the Philippines, Costa Rica and Nigeria, all observe similar hours.
Although most people associate the siesta with Spain, the practice actually originated with ancient Romans in Italy, where it is called a riposo. Similar midday nap breaks are common around the Mediterranean and in many Latin American countries, where the midday is often hot.
Siesta, Fiesta!
Perhaps the most famous of all midday rests is the siesta. Siesta is a custom throughout Spain and other Mediterranean countries. Derived from Latin meaning "sixth hour," the siesta is a time for people to rest and recharge in the middle of their day.
Well, for those of you out there wondering if siestas (naps) are truly a part of Mexican culture, I have the answer-yes, and they are great! As soon as you eat lunch, it is off to nap. No one hassles you about being tired because everyone takes a siesta in the afternoon.
In modern Greece, it's highly recommended to keep silence from 2 till 3 – 5 pm. It is said that the one, who sleeps well – works well either. Siesta makes all banks, shops, offices, stores, and restaurants “fall asleep” for some hours. Moreover, this “quiet time” is regulated by the law.
They are popular in most of the countries that make up Southeast Asia, such places as Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos and Thailand. India and Pakistan both have a siesta time as well.
In Japan, inemuri literally translates to dozing or nodding off, but in this case, it can also mean “sleeping while present.” It's a culturally accepted power nap that you can take in the middle of the workday in Japan.
In most countries, sleeping on the job isn't just frowned upon, it may get you fired. But in Japan, napping in the office is common and culturally accepted. And in fact, it is often seen as a subtle sign of diligence: You must be working yourself to exhaustion.
In fact, employment regulations now state that aside from a one-hour break, workers are also entitled to 30-minute naps. Neurospace President Hideyuki Kobayashi explained that the conditions for taking an effective “power nap” are doing so six hours after rising, limiting shut-eye to 30 minutes and not lying down.
Siestas are historically common throughout the Mediterranean and Southern Europe, the Middle East, mainland China, and the Indian subcontinent. The siesta is an old tradition in Spain and, through Spanish influence, most of Latin America.
Spain's famously late mealtimes are due to the fact that the country has been geographically in the wrong time zone since World War II! During all that time, Spaniards have eaten at the same time they always have in regards to the position of the sun in the sky.
From boosting memory to lowering blood pressure, a little midday siesta can do wonders for your health. Many of us are chronically sleep-deprived and a quick nap can do wonders.
According to the data analyzed by the Online Bulletin and PR Service B2Press New Zealand, Finland, and the Netherlands are among the countries that sleep the most, while almost 50 percent of the people in Turkey state that they sleep 8 hours a day, which increases to 10 hours on weekends.
Adult naptime is recommended to be at least 15 minutes and no more than an hour. Elsewise, you might wake up groggy, so it would be better to have had no nap at all. You also shouldn't overeat as the midday nap, 午觉 Wǔjiào/ 午睡 Wǔshuì, is not traditionally caused by post prandial somnolence, aka.
In 2021, education officials in China came up with an unusual solution. Elementary schools across the country are now required to have a scheduled nap time for students each day.
According to a 2021 survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Japanese sleep an average of seven hours and 22 minutes. This is the shortest duration among the member countries and almost an hour less than the OECD average of 8 hours and 24 minutes.
Although the legal recommendation for working hours in Japan is 40 hours per week, historically, many Japanese employers have required their employees to work as much as 80 hours of overtime per month.
What is the optimal length of time for a nap? Naps can be short (15 to 30 minutes) or longer; both short and long naps can increase alertness and be useful. Take into account that sleep becomes deeper the longer you sleep, reaching the deepest level (slow-wave sleep) in about 1 hour.
For most people, the best time to take a nap is either just before or during the post-lunch dip. The post-lunch dip is the period of decreased alertness and productivity often experienced after a midday meal. As a result, a brief snooze around 12:30 p.m. or around 2 p.m. may reduce afternoon sleepiness.
A short nap of 10-20 minutes is precisely enough shut-eye to reap the many restorative benefits of napping. 30 minutes could make you feel too groggy once you're awake. A 90-minute nap is considered best for a longer option.
Nevertheless, siesta is still embraced in other parts of the world like in Greece, Italy, Nigeria, and the Philippines. Siesta is a sacred tradition in Greek culture. So sacred that a law called the “Hours of Common Silence” was written back then.
Thailand is a conservative country, so hugging and kissing in public places is considered impolite in Thai society. Though nowadays it's more acceptable, still some old people take it seriously.
* It is not polite to express your private affection by hugging and kissing your partener in public places. Holding hands is OK for foreigners, but rarely seen at locals. * It is not acceptable to touch someone's head – not even children's; the head is considered to be the most sacred part of the human body.