Are Siestas healthy?

Now that the hot summer weather has finally hit the UK, many of us are making most of the good times and enjoying the happy rays while they are still falling from the sky.

Throughout the week however, the very same temperatures that we enjoy at the weekend can present significant issues when we are at work.

From fatigue to dehydration, working during the heat of the summer can be hell for those who have to endure it; especially if they work in some form of manual labour.

There are ways of coping however, in many cultures around the world. From the painting of white buildings, to totally changing the working hours to an early morning and late afternoon agenda, one of the best coping known methods however, is the siesta.

 

History of the afternoon nap

The siesta, translating quite literally to the word ‘nap’, is a habit that we strongly associate with Spanish culture, though interestingly, its origins aren’t Spanish at all, but rather Islamic, and is written about in the Koran.

According to Siesta Awareness:

“The Spanish have become known for their liking for a long 2 hour siesta, but this was introduced centuries ago to allow their farmers to rest during the hottest part of the day. Consequently they work longer into the evening.”

Traditionally, siestas are there to provide workers with a rest from the heat of the summer, though now that many offices are becoming air conditioned, the need for the practice is beginning to wain to the point where the Spanish government at one point tried to eradicate the siesta.

This however, did not prove popular with manual labourers and people who have to work in environments where air conditioning may not be as prevalent.

 

But is there any biological need for the siesta?

Interestingly so, as although in the 21st century, we tend to sleep roughly 8 hours a day during the night, this is only a habit that has been around since the start of the industrial revolution a few hundred years ago.

Indeed, like many other mammals, it is actually natural for us to sleep more than once during a 24 hour period.

Sean Coughlan at the BBC says that:

“Before the industrial revolution and fixed working hours, it would have been perfectly normal in northern Europe for people to take an afternoon sleep before a big evening meal.

“People wanted to stay sharp for the big social occasion of the evening meal, so they had a couple of hours sleep around 4pm. And then, refreshed and hungry, they would wake for their dinner and then go to bed around midnight, getting up again at daylight.”

If our bodies are so attuned to having a nap during the afternoon, are there any health benefits of doing so?

The truth is however, that the health benefits and disadvantages of taking a siesta are conflicting. Although more recent studies have shown afternoon napping to have certain health benefits, a few conducted earlier on in the noughties suggest otherwise.

One study conducted by the University of Birmingham suggests that regular lunchtime napping could increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by a factor of no less than 26%.

Despite this however, various other studies have claimed that there are various health benefits for afternoon sleeping.

One 6-year Greek study found that those who took a 30 minute siesta at least 3 times a week had a 37% lower risk of heart disease.

To add to this, researchers at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania found that falling asleep for 45 minutes after a stressful event significantly lowers blood pressure.

In a broader study, Spanish scientists only last year found that a short after lunch nap can improve cardiovascular functions and dramatically improve mental agility.

 

So could we see a change?

Unless of course you work from home, or you are in a job where you are able to dictate your own agenda, there really isn’t much that you can do to change how and when you work.

Though the chances are that productivity may well benefit from a siesta; the UK is a long way from change the working habits of hundreds of years.

On the other hand, if you are a student, are retired or find yourself with ample amounts of free time, having a siesta may well be worth trying out, and a summer duvet or breathable pillow, can make it all the more satisfying!

Bear in mind however, that if you don’t lead a particularly active life, taking an afternoon nap may well disturb your regular sleeping patterns.