The crucial heat of the sun and humidity from the rainy season torture us and make us tired. To escape from this fatigue, we should take a nap at midday. In Spain, many people have a siesta to regain their strength. Maybe, after napping, why not enjoy a small fiesta or festival! Before we plunge into fiesta, let’s know what a siesta is!
Siesta, What Is It?
Siesta is part of the culture that Mediterranean and Latin American people enjoy. Siesta comes from the Latin word ‘hora sexta’ which means ‘sixth hour’. ‘Hora sexta’ is the time from noon. It started in Spain and spread to other Mediterranean countries like Italy, Greece and so on. Every country has its own time for siesta, in general, Spain has it from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, while Italy has it from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm, and Greece has it from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
However, these days Siesta is disappearing. That’s because the Siesta gives us the perception of being lazy. Some of us think that Southern European and Latin Americans are lazy because they have siesta during the day. For this reason, they do not want to have a country brand of ‘laziness’. Moreover, if they have siesta at noon, it means they should stay at their workplace late. They, in turn want to spend more time with their families than at work. So, in 2015, the public officials in Spain abolished the country’s well-known custom of siesta.
World Now: Napping Culture
Usually, having a nap doesn’t mean being lazy. It means that people can’t work during daytime because of the high temperature. Some southern asian countries like the Philippines, China and Vietnam have a napping culture, too. Especially in China, they call this culture “wǔshuì”. They have lunch from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. After eating they have a nap. Schools also have a nap, but it isn’t a forced culture. Another custom is Italian “riposo”. Riposo means stability in Italian. One of the towns in Southern Italy has a weird rule: if dogs bark during riposo, the owner should get a fine.
Not only is napping a culture in various countries but also it is carried out in companies around the world for the purpose of increasing their employee’s concentration. Google is one of the companies which supports siesta and provides a sleep capsule for employees. Also, in Korea, ING LIFE Korea works out this system for their employee’s efficiency.
Did you know many famous people had napping habits? Great people such as Napoleon Bonaparte, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Thomas Edison, and Winston Churchill napped. Especially, Napoleon could sleep like a baby right before battle, even when cannons were booming nearby. Winston Churchill is well known for his napping habits. He said, "Success is the ability to go from one nap to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” And, “You get two days in one-well, at least one and a half. I’m sure.” Also, Thomas Edison’s assistant said “Genius for sleep equaled his genius for invention. He could go to sleep anywhere, anytime, on anything.” Even if you aren’t a genius like them, napping will be your reliable helper.
But can we just believe sayings which are not proven by science? Fortunately, following the merits of napping is already proven. Sara C. Mednick, Sleep Researcher of UCR (University of California, Riverside) divided napping into three categories. She claims it can be separated by length of napping. First is a 20-minute power nap. It helps us to improve our alertness and motor learning skills such as learning how to play a musical instrument. Second is a slow-wave sleep (sleeping about 30 to 60 minutes.) It upgrades our ability of decision-making skills. Also, it is useful when you must memorize. Last but not least, REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep), sleeping for 60 to 90 minutes, is a key of creativity. It makes new connections in our brain, so we can solve creative problems easily.
Tips for Good Nap!
It is no use if we can’t participate in it for ourselves! So CBNU Globe will show the differences of napping. One reporter had a nap for one week while he didn’t have a nap for another week. He took a nap repeatedly for one hour everyday at 1:00 pm.
Benefits of napping
I can concentrate on my afternoon classes. My eyes don’t get tired even if I stay up late. I can control my emaciation by resting. I can be more relaxed after having lunch.
Demerits of napping
I was sleepless for a while from time to time. I got little dizzy when I slept lie down flat on my desk. I might oversleep when I don’t set my cell phone alarm. Sometimes, I was in a daze when I slept right before my class.
A nap can make you feel like it is a festival again, every day. Good napping provides you a dream you may wish to see. Enjoy your own festival, while developing a healthy habit!
You Da-yeon, Reporter & Kwon Jong-hwan, Cub-Reporter