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| Could the Siesta be the reason the Spanish enjoy a longer life? |
Outside of the fact that there’s nothing stopping Brits,
Germans, and Scandinavians from adopting the siesta culture themselves, most
cultures have trouble wrapping their heads around the idea of napping for a few
hours in the middle of the day. Could it be that the Spanish have been on to
something for all these years though?
The truth is that Spaniards work for much longer than most other Europeans, and they’re also living longer than other Europeans; which
begs the question of how much of that is because of siestas.
The latest World Happiness Report 2017 ranked nations on a
range of metrics to determine happiness. One major one was longevity, which
Spain came in second place for after Japan thanks to an 82.8 year life
expectancy.
This is hardly new of course, but researchers have been –
albeit correctly – putting this down to the Mediterranean diet. While the diet
is partly the reason why, the report believes that the humble siesta could have
something to do with it as well.
People have the idea that Spaniards are just sleeping when
the shops close between 2 and 5PM, but the reality is that this is how they
organise their working shifts. If you work continuously with just half an hour
for your lunch then you’re bound to eat a quick takeaway or some fast food. If
you’re allowed to stop working for a few hours then you are more likely to go
home or to a restaurant where you can relax and enjoy several courses and have
the time needed to let it digest. That’s much healthier than any takeaway.
It’s not necessarily getting to sleep, but getting to relax
and socialise during the day that may be giving Spaniards better longevity. The
report also argued that the higher density of Spanish towns and cities mean
Spaniards spend longer on their feet and walk much more during their day than
other nationalities.
