Simple Truth about Siesta!

"Having a well-rested body would make someone, sound!", this is an echoing statement of my father, almost everyday when he is persuading us to have a  nap. Upon agreeing on his wish, he too would climb on his hammock and immediately drift to a merciless snoring before we could shut our eyes. This is a routine especially during summertime. After a heartful  meal, a small chit chat follows and little bit later there goes the warning of that routinary activity know to be 'siesta'.
Being a kid, who would always love to play, I do abhor the idea of taking that 'post lunch sleep'. To my young mind, it spoils the fun, it cuts off the time I should be spending with my friends outside.

TRIVIA

This term comes from the latin word "hora sexta" - meaning the 'sixth hour' (counting from dawn, thus, making it a mid-day rest). This practice had been introduced by spaniards to the Philippines, however,  other cultures also embraces the luxury of siesta. Like in Pakistan, a post nap lunch is exercised, a 20 minute closing of the eyes known as "kaylola". Sourth German speaking regions also dip into the common practice of closing shops and stores alloted for the mid-nap of the workers. In Japan, certain companies even allocates room for the employees where they can rest during breaks and overtime.

COULD BE...

According to a research, the geographical location of the countries which practices siesta, the high temperature and high food intake, when combined it creates a 'post lunch drowsiness' explaining the sleepylike tendency in the wee hours between 1:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon. But to others, scientific and logical explaination does not matter, to them it is a customary way that has been passed up and until now is enjoying a wide audience of practice.


HEALTH ADVANTAGE

A recent study suggested that taking a mid-day rest reduces the risk of having heart diseases, for daytime sleep lowers the stress level and the blood pressure. 


A little snooze relaxes and soothes our senses. It charges the body that is why you'd wake up energized! But, note the fact that nothing ever beats the benefit of physical activity to revitalize one's health. Don't take it in the lazy bone perspective of cutting up short cuts to have a fitted health. Siesta plays both the 'ex-factor' we want in a certain activity, the indulgence of relaxation and the health positive contributory factor. So little time exerted yet helds the power to level off the tons of burden piling up from morning to noon. It is worth notetaking to spare your time a little snooze before you start your afternoon hubtivity, for a more sharp and an edgy kick to any undertaking you would have in the next few hours of the day. 
Though nowadays, there is a decline in practice of siesta, because of hectic work schedules or work distanced situation, and some would work out  for an extra or overtime jobs rather than taking the nap, yet still,  some are coping through weekends or anytime of the week that is linient with their schedules.

In my childhood days, this whole "mid-day sleep", I did not understood its concept nor my father's insistence for its health reasons. But as I grew up,  which I learned to enjoy it myself, I acceded to the thought that this is a part of every Filipino's life-larger than customs or health rationale.



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