I have always struggled with taking classes or going to work in the later afternoon. An hour or two after lunch, I start to experience a major dip in my energy and have a hard time staying focused. Usually, I have to power through it and keep going, but I always enjoy relaxing outside or laying down for an hour in the afternoon if it’s possible.

When I studied in Italy, I discovered the siesta culture of the Mediterranean area and southern Europe. It’s not as pronounced in Rome as it is in smaller towns throughout Italy or in Spain, but it was a culture shock for me to see shops and restaurants close between 2 and 4 pm. The crowds in the streets thinned, especially away from the tourist-y areas, and it was common to see people on their balconies.

On days when I didn’t have class, I started to use this down time to rest, take a peaceful walk, or hang out with my roommates. It was very nice to have a block of time with limited options of places to go since it forced me to slow down and rest in the middle of the day. Once I travelled to Spain for a week and experienced a much more obvious culture of the mid-day rest, I got interested in the siesta culture. To me, this seemed like a leisurely way to live: using the afternoon to rest and staying out later into the evening. However, my research into the topic found that the siesta culture is mostly influenced by geography.

In Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy, the heavy heat in the afternoon can make it unpleasant to be outside. This combined with the heavier dishes common in those areas means that people experience a dip in energy after lunch. The custom began with the Romans, which is where the word siesta comes from. The mid-day nap is common in other countries outside of that region as well. There are similar customs in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries. It is also common in China to take a short nap after lunch.

Taking a break to rest in the middle of the day has a lot of benefits. A short nap can help with memory, emotional regulation, cognitive ability, and reduction of stress. It is better for a person’s mental health to have a break to de-stress in the middle of the day instead of working straight through the day with only a short lunch break. It can also help with boosting energy later in the day.

I believe that introducing a siesta culture into the United States could be beneficial for a lot of people. A lot of the U.S. is as hot or hotter than countries like Spain and Italy, so it would have similar benefits to get people out of the heat. American culture is also very work- and productivity-focused, and making a conscious effort to rest during the workday might help reduce the pressure a lot of people feel to overperform. Even if people don’t use the break to nap, they could take the time to do something that they enjoy and find relaxing, such as reading a book or taking a walk. We could learn a lot from countries like Spain to reduce daily stress and improve American culture.