Spanish and American Cultural Expectations for Sleep Discussion

For your initial post, different cultures encourage different patterns of sleep. For example, in some cultures, an afternoon nap is a normal part of the day and in others, people are expected to stay up all day. Research two cultures with different expectations for when and how sleep is expected to occur. How do these differences affect the health of the population; how do they affect productivity?

For your reply to a classmate, describe how changing the sleep pattern of either culture your classmate described might affect people’s health and happiness.

“Siestas and daytime naps are regular occurrences in some countries. In Japan naps are strongly encouraged mainly to increase productivity throughout the day. The term Inemuri consists of two parts: “to be present” and “to sleep”. Practicing Inemuri means to be present while you are sleeping. This usually occurs while at work to promote work productivity. This phenomenon is found only in Japan where taking naps or dozing off while working long hours is considered a sign of hard work, and dedication. In Japan, waking up at dawn and going to sleep late because of work or study is a sign of strong commitment to one’s job so falling asleep during work hours to alleviate fatigue is not frowned upon but encouraged. Also, sleeping on very thin mattresses over a tatami mat has proven to relax muscles and align your spine back to its original state.

A siesta, meaning “nap” is a short nap taken early in the afternoon or after your midday meal. Most are common in warm weather areas. The feeling of drowsiness and fatigue are most common after eating meals and during hot days, so to combat that feeling siestas are strongly encouraged. The practice originated with ancient romans in Italy where shops and other hot climate areas would close down midday for a while to allow people to rest. The benefits of siestas include lowering blood pressure, enhanced creativity, increased energy levels and greater productivity.

I believe taking naps plays a huge part in recovery whether it’s mental or physical. A study was conducted, and resulted in lower cardiovascular problems and enhanced memory in people who take one or two naps a week. We tend to overwork ourselves in our personal and professional lives without taking time to recharge. Just taking a break or allowing your mind to rest can eliminate a lot of problems and free up space to think more rational. The benefits of getting an adequate amount of sleep or taking naps are endless. Sleep encourages alertness, the ability to focus on projects for longer periods of time and decision-making skills are heightened. These will all affect productivity in a positive way!”

This is my classmate’s post.