Short Siestas are Good for Learning

It used to be a custom for many people in Southern Europe, the Med area and hot countries in general, to take a mid-afternoon nap.

I remember many years ago, my father used to come back from work at around 14.30, have lunch, then have a siesta, and wake up fresh again with energy to socialize with family, friends and relatives.

Those were the good old days before the era of globalization and the long working hours it brought with so much pressure and competition. People back then, in the 1960s, used to be much happier than they are today. It was a more humane society, much more humane, less complicated, with a higher quality of life for all members of society. Sons and daughters had much more time and energy to care for their parents and for the elderly and those who needed support. I remember my father used to visit my grandmother, who lived in the same building, twice a day: once in the morning to have his coffee with her before going to work, and once in the evening. Those were the good old days ...

Anyhow, to get back to the main topic, recent scientific research has shown that having a short siesta for less than an hour during the day, and preferably between mid-day and the time of Asr prayers, is good for one's health. It gives energy, revives the mind, and according to this BBC article, it helps the memory in its daily learning process.

This is a summary of the findings:

Dreams can help with learning: Napping after learning something new could help you commit it to memory - as long as you dream - scientists say.

They found that people who dream of a new task perform it better on waking than those who do not sleep or do not dream.

This is the URL for further background

It's interesting to note how in Japan some companies offer their employees special rooms where they may have a short nap during their breaks or lunch hours to help them be more efficient and increase productivity

A siesta is good, but should not be too late in the afternoon, as the right timing is very important. The worst siesta to take is just before sunset ... It also should not be too long ...