An online mattress company wants a summer siesta style break introduced across the UK and Ireland for hardworking people to enjoy a lunchtime rest.
The innovative campaign by MattressNextDay would see workers put down their work tools for an hour every working day during the long school summer holiday to spend more time with their loved ones and enjoy rest and relaxation.
Abroad, Spain is traditionally known as having a daily siesta to combat heat and allow people to enjoy an hour’s sleep amid searing temperatures, with many other countries recognising the benefit of a nap during the working day.
A spokesperson for MattressNextDay said: “A little midday siesta can do wonders for your health – regardless of the temperature outside. It has proven benefits to your health and wellbeing such as boosting memory and lowering blood pressure.”
“It can really help those of us who are chronically sleep deprived, and even if people don’t actually sleep, there could be huge benefits in using the siesta time to practice relaxation techniques or meditation, for example. We believe this could really help recharge and refresh people and we believe it should be introduced.”
Last year, the National Trust was in the headlines for giving its workers siestas during the summer because of climate change seeing more and more hot weather on our shores.
The Trust made the offer to staff and volunteers to start the day earlier and finish later with a long lunch break to accommodate the siesta, and it was aimed at those working in the south of England.
MattressNextDay say the siesta, an afternoon nap usually taken after lunch, lasts around 20 to 30 minutes. The nap was historically taken during the hottest hours of the day by people who worked in farming. Up until the mid-1900s, many Spaniards worked in agricultural work where the siesta was common.
However, a recent survey suggests that it is reducing in popularity, with around 60 percent of Spaniards saying they have never taken a siesta and just 18 percent having a midday nap. The most popular time for one in Spain is between 2pm and 4pm.
It’s not the only country to embrace the benefits of the siesta, as people in Italy and Greece also take advantage of a break during hot weather in the working day.
Mexico is believed to have abolished the siesta in 1944, but some Mexicans still take the opportunity to have a break for a nap after lunch, if their organisation allows it. And in order to promote the value of sleep, some Japanese countries create spaces for workers to have a snooze.
