Monday, December 20, 2004

Viva l'Espana...viva la siesta

For centuries, heading home mid-afternoon for lunch and a snooze was regarded as something of a national right in Spain. Long days at work and late nights with friends have always been common there and a siesta makes it all more manageable. But the country's corporate culture now spurns the idea of daytime dozing as being unproductive, so the siesta is fast becoming an endangered institution. Now Spain is becoming a nation of sleep deprivation. Spaniards have high rates of accidents on the road, at home, and in the workplace. But the rest of Europe could arguably also learn from Spain, which perhaps should not be so quick to renounce the siesta. The traditional two-hour snooze may be a little excessive, but doctors say a brief shut-eye at midday helps keep stress and heart disease at bay.Link for more.

I think our society would benefit greatly from a little nap-time around noon.

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