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The “National Siesta Championship” Is A Napping Competition Held In Madrid Every Year

National Napping Day is observed annually the day following the return of daylight saving time.  National Napping Day provides everyone with the opportunity to have a nap and catch up on the hour of sleep they lost due to the spring forward time change.

  • Mid-afternoon naps are an integral part of most cultures, and scientifically proven to be good for you.
  • Numerous studies have shown that short 10-20 minute naps are the most effective when midday fatigue hits.  Improvements in alertness, productivity and mood have all been shown to improve with this type of snooze.
  • it used to be something we all did in the middle of the afternoon. In fact, the siesta is still a time-honored tradition in Spain that happens right after the afternoon meal, and has been a practice since time out of mind.
  • The siesta is still a time-honored tradition in Spain that happens right after the afternoon meal, and has been a practice since time out of mind. In fact, if you’re in the Mediterranean, it’s pretty much standard everywhere you go.
  • In Italy they call it the riposo, pisolini, and even old Charlamagne (yes that Charlamagne) has been recorded as having taken 2-3 hour naps in the middle of the afternoon.
  • There are even notable benefits to taking a nap in the afternoon, including evidence pointing to a 37% reduction in occurrences of coronary mortality in those who take an afternoon nap regularly.
  • An “Ask Men” survey asked men what they liked to do after making love. Taking a nap topped the list by a landslide. Having a snack came in second. Womens’ answers ranged from cuddling, talking, being left alone, and being fed.
  • According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation, 74% of women get less sleep per night than men, yet women feel more guilt about napping than men.
  • Napping offers several benefits for creating healthy adults, including relaxation, reduced fatigue, increased alertness, improved mood, improved performance, increased reaction time, better memory, and fewer accidents and mistakes.
  • Humans are the only mammals who willingly delay sleep and plan naps.
  • Those who relish naps are in good company: JFK, Ronald Reagan, Napoleon, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and George A Bush all savored an afternoon nap.
  • Sleep researchers suggest that repeating a simple word like “the” at irregular intervals blocks the mind from racing and helps a person to fall asleep at night or to take a nap.
  • Google headquarters has “nap pods” that block out both light and sound.
  • Since Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb in 1879, nighttime sleep for the average American has dropped from nine hours per night to less than seven.
  • There is actually a napping competition called the National Siesta Championship held in Madrid every year where the winner can take home a cash prize.
  • The Japanese respect workplace naps so much that they even have a name for them, “inemuri.”The word translates to, “to be asleep while present.”

Sources:

National Day Calendar

Days of the Year

Fact Retriever 

Tipsy Writer

Tomorrow Sleep