Siesta time in Spain – A favorite Spanish tradition Spain has a lot of amazing traditions. They are very social and energetic, but they have one lazy custom – siesta! If it is lazy or brilliant, it’s up to you to decide, so let’s dig into it. What is a siesta? A siesta is a nap during the day. The word simply describes napping or resting after lunch. This is the literal and correct translation, but siesta in Spain goes beyond that. Siesta time in Spain is a time of the day when almost every store, restaurant, and business close their doors for a break. Workers end their shifts before siesta, or they have a long pause between two shifts. Siesta in Spain feels like 3 am in other countries. The streets are empty because everything is closed. How long is a siesta? Siesta time in Spain is not up to your personal choice, as napping usually is in other countries. It is a determined period that can vary one hour up or down, but it is the same in the whole country. A siesta is usually 2-3 hours long, and yes, it happens every day. Siesta hours in Spain are typically between 2 and 5 pm. It is not law-enforced that shops must take a siesta, but it is something that everybody does. Some businesses have a 2 hours siesta, and some have a 1 and a half or a 3 hours siesta. It depends on the owner, but it is almost the same everywhere you go. Here are some tips to having the best siesta:
Find a calm, quiet place that’s neither too hot nor too cold.
It’s important to have silence or white noise, at most. If you can’t have absolute silence, the best thing is to hear only minimal sounds, like the ones coming from the fan, the washing machine, the air conditioning, etc. This way your brain won’t need to continue working and receiving information, and it will be able to truly shut off.
It’s best to take your siesta lying down, as that’s the natural sleeping position and most of your muscles will be able to relax, which isn’t possible when you’re sitting up.
If you want to wake up full of energy (not more tired than you were before the siesta), nap for 20 to 30 minutes, but no longer!
Siesta benefits Some studies confirm that siesta benefits our minds and working productivity. It may sound like a lazy routine, but if it increases work productivity, can we call it lazy? Studies have shown that an optimal nap after lunch shouldn’t last more than 30 minutes, so we don’t enter deep sleep mode. A 2-3 hours break from work is just enough time to come home, have lunch and take a nap in our favorite armchair. Siesta in other countries Siesta is not native nor limited to Spain. You can find it in Latin America, Italy, Greece, and some parts of Asia such as Taiwan. The most striking thing that these countries have in common is the hot climate. In southern countries, the middle of the day can be excessively hot, which makes working hard unhealthy. In Southern Spain, temperatures in summer can reach above 40 °C. The siesta provides a delightful detour from your day, and it also has a practical value as far as productivity is concerned.