What is Siesta and what are its benefits?
The word Siesta comes from the Latin expression sexta hora, meaning "sixth hour". It refers to the sixth solar hour from sunrise, which is about noon, or a little later in winter, with the different cycle of the sun. The Romans usually stopped to work at the sixth hour to eat and rest.
This habit began to be adopted both in Spain and in other countries with a very hot climate in order to have the possibility of resting during the hottest hours. Nowadays, the term siesta is used to describe a short afternoon or afternoon nap.
Benefits of Siesta
There are many benefits to incorporating Siesta into your daily routine. Short naps can help you feel more rested and finish your day energetically.
1. Reduce sleep deprivation
Most adults need about seven to nine hours of sleep each night. However, activities such as work, commuting and socializing have been shown to reduce the total time people spend in bed, resulting in insufficient sleep. Siesta is a way to reduce the lack of sleep and the negative effects that can occur. For example, a 10-minute nap during the day can be enough to help you fight fatigue and sleepiness for up to two hours after you sleep.
2. Improving knowledge and performance
Sleep disorders can directly affect overall health, as they affect the ability to handle stress, impair cognition and memory, and can increase accidents at work and at home. Sleep has been shown to increase the brain's ability to consolidate memory and regulate emotions more effectively. A short siesta can increase your cognitive performance up to a few hours after you sleep.
These positive effects of short sleep also seem to depend on its duration. Taking a 10 to 30 minute nap may be the best way to ensure you get all the benefits of sleep. Naps that last longer than 30 minutes are more likely to result in a delayed response time, and you may need more time to regain alertness.
3. Adverse effects of sleep
While there is evidence to suggest that short periods of sleep can help overall cognition and memory, this may not be the case for all age groups. Longer-than-usual daytime naps are associated with increased inflammation in older adults. Middle-aged women who sleep more than an hour have an increased chance of having hypertension, while men do not.
There may also be a higher risk of heart attack after long sleep in people with a history of heart problems. This risk is due to a drop in blood pressure during sleep that then rises rapidly when you wake up, which can affect heart health in older people. There is also evidence that long sleep durations in the elderly can increase symptoms of depression.
If you have a history of heart problems or are an older adult, check with your doctor before adding an afternoon nap to your routine.
Tips for a good Siesta
If you want to start incorporating a short nap into your daily routine, here are some tips:
- Make sure your room is completely dark or use an eye mask to block out light. Darkness helps you fall asleep faster.
- Find a comfortable place to sleep. While the couch may be convenient, you may find that sleeping in bed is more comfortable and may help you fall asleep faster.
- Make sure you set an alarm for about 20 minutes to reap the benefits of your sleep without overdoing it.
- Adjust your bedroom temperature to appropriate levels a few hours before you go to sleep.
- If you struggle with acid reflux or heartburn, try sleeping before from your lunch, instead of after.
- Listen to relaxing music to help you fall asleep faster, especially if you're not used to sleeping during the day.
