h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Browsing the BBC news, I found these two superficially contradictory stories.

'Six minute nap may boost memory"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7254555.stm

'Daytime dozing "stroke warning"'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7257270.stm

Do you nap during the day? From choice or necessity?

I do have a very poor/nervous sleep since 1984
and anything would be welcome; a nap, or anything else.
Makes me more dead than alive.

I did find out in all these years, that god really sleeps as the best of all.


Greetings from Amsterdam

I only nap during the day if I know I'm going to need to be up all night.

So you can make yourself nod off at will to 'catch up' in advance?
I can only snooze during the day in response to lost sleep or soporific conditions.

Yeah, I saw those two articles too, Teasswill, and it made me wonder...

I live in the 'land of siestas' and though I've never got into the habit myself, many people I know here swear by a 20-40 minute nap after lunch (which tends to be the main meal of the day in Spain) before going back to work.

Also, there have been studies on people who work 9-5 that their natural energy level tends to drop around 3-4pm (typical siesta time in Spain) and so they need a quick sugar or caffeine fix at that time to perk them up.


az

I always attributed this Spanish tradition to a weather where it is not actually possible to do much else apart from napping in the afternoon. Is this true or just another stereotype?

The Spanish tradition, especially in the south of Spain, is that shops and other businesses close between 2-5pm during the hottest time of the day. So people go home, have their main meal of the day, have a nap, and then go back to work refreshed.

This has become increasingly more difficult with international companies that need to be available during the afternoon, as well as with the major chain stores that stay open all day from 10am-10pm.

Also, it's really only in July and August that it's SO HOT that you can't imagine working or getting any customers between 2-5pm, so I'm really not sure why it became a year-round habit.

I mean, it's really not TOO HOT to function mid-afternoon from September to June, even in the south of Spain, especially with air-conditioning.

Just a habit, I reckon.

az

Oh no, air-conditioning? Maybe it is too cold to work then

(I should probably take that to the Petty Hates thread actually.)