DID YOU KNOW THAT?
-Bill Clinton napped while President to help him cope with the pressure of office?
-Brahms napped at the piano while he composed his favourite lullaby?
- Napolean napped between battles while sitting on his horse?
-Churchill maintained that he had to nap in order to cope with his wartime responsibility?
-Geniuses such as Edison and da Vinci napped?
-Margaret Thatcher napped in order to be at her best?
-Einstein napped frequently during the day to help him think more clearly. He would sit in his favourite armchair with a pencil in his hand and purposefully doze off. He would wake when the pencil dropped, ensuring that he did not enter a deep sleep from which it would be difficult to wake up?
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The Siesta is one of the most famous aspects of Spanish life - that dead period in late afternoons when everything shuts down in Spain, in theory so people can go to sleep.
The Siesta had existed for thousand of years and was previously regarded as a physical necessity rather than a luxury. While the traditional Spanish style siesta can last up to 2 hours to avoid the hottest part of the day, there is actually a biological need for people in all climates to have a short rest in the afternoon to revive energy levels. The form of rest recommended for health and productivity benefits is a short 10-20 minute nap, and not the 2 hour long siesta normally associated with Spain.
Siesta Facts
-More energy
-Improve productivity by over 30%
-Improve alertness by up to 100%
-Reduce stress and the risk of heart disease by 34%
-Better negotiation and communication
-Reduce risk of accidents at work and on the road
-Happiness and wellbeing
Warning though: Possible slight risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Several factors which may be behind the link included disrupted night-time sleep and an association between napping and reduced physical activity. However, in terms of being major risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, disturbed sleep or napping are likely to remain less significant than already established factors such as being overweight, being above the age of 40 or having a history of diabetes in family.
Because the benefits outweigh the cost, workaholics (as prevalent in our Asian culture) should consider taking a nap or two during the day for better alertness, health and higher productivity! Shouldn't organizations consider this as well?
The Siesta had existed for thousand of years and was previously regarded as a physical necessity rather than a luxury. While the traditional Spanish style siesta can last up to 2 hours to avoid the hottest part of the day, there is actually a biological need for people in all climates to have a short rest in the afternoon to revive energy levels. The form of rest recommended for health and productivity benefits is a short 10-20 minute nap, and not the 2 hour long siesta normally associated with Spain.
Siesta Facts
-More energy
-Improve productivity by over 30%
-Improve alertness by up to 100%
-Reduce stress and the risk of heart disease by 34%
-Better negotiation and communication
-Reduce risk of accidents at work and on the road
-Happiness and wellbeing
Warning though: Possible slight risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Several factors which may be behind the link included disrupted night-time sleep and an association between napping and reduced physical activity. However, in terms of being major risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, disturbed sleep or napping are likely to remain less significant than already established factors such as being overweight, being above the age of 40 or having a history of diabetes in family.
Because the benefits outweigh the cost, workaholics (as prevalent in our Asian culture) should consider taking a nap or two during the day for better alertness, health and higher productivity! Shouldn't organizations consider this as well?
I vote for SIESTAA!!!
:D
:D
