Two things happened today.
First, after hardly sleeping last night I was having a hard time writing at the office today. I gave up at about 4 PM and came home earlier than usual. It was exactly 100 degrees here today, with a heat index of 103. It was, in scientific terms, balls hot.
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When I got home I found my male rats completely inert. Rats are crepuscular and tend to be prodigious nappers during high afternoon heat. So today was exceptional only inasmuch as they were completely unresponsive.
Like, I had to startle them awake to verify that they were not dead. Here is a reference photo of napping boys. Imagine how it would break your heart to disturb them.
The second incident occurred on an errand run to Target. The store, like many in this area, was in full-blown "Back to School" mode (in July?? Is this normal?). It was well organized, with a college section (dorm-in-a-box packages, Ramen, 55-gallon drums of Valtrex), generic K-12 school supplies, and a section for kindergarten/preschool needs. This final area had a large end display offering "Napping Mats." I assume the local school district(s) have these on the required supplies list.
These two disparate events got me thinking: Why are humans the only mammal, or close to it, that doesn't rest during the hottest part of the day? More importantly, how much better would life be if we didn't abandon the idea of afternoon naptime when kids leave kindergarten? Just imagine your crappy daily routine with the cubicle hours between 1:00 and 3:30 replaced by a nice, quiet nap? We could all roll out our Dora the Explorer nap mats and just…let nature take its course.
None of us sleep enough. Mammals are not active during the hottest part of the day. Naps are awesome. I just presented three unassailable facts in support national (global?) naptime. We nap until we're 6 and then we're expected to stop.
Why? We don't become a different species when we enter 1st Grade.
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The only thing that changes are the expectations and the schedule to which we are forced to conform.
Nuts to that. I'm tired.
duck-billed placelot says:
Other culturesdo nap. Le sieste, la siesta, der slaptje. But we're Puritans! We hate things that feel good! And thus crappy afternoons and dinner at six pm because we're exhausted. It shows how morally righteous we are. Or some shit.
J. Dryden says:
Indeed. As Noel Coward reminds us, only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
j says:
Siesta! It's a great idea.
Ike says:
Y'all beat me to it. La Siesta is the thing. And when it gets way hot… why not shift to working during the night time? Ah, but that would make sense.
Daniel says:
If I am really tired I usually still cannot nap. I've never been able to sleep during the day regardless of how hot it is.
ZenPoseur says:
Ah! You've actually hit upon one of early humanity's coolest (ah ha, ha ha ha) adaptations. Freakishly hairless, covered from head to foot with some of the most industrious sweat glands ever created, and possessing a network of surface capillaries that are among the best in the animal kingdom at increasing blood flow to the skin, humans can dump excess body heat at a rate that would terrify the average dumb animal or Washington pundit (ah ha, ha ha ha.)
So, in the middle of the day, while all those other mammals have been knocked out by the oppressive heat, we can walk up to them and stab them with things. Things that we made with our surprisingly well-cooled brains.
All of which has almost nothing to do with the fact that we don't nap today. But I thought I'd share, because I'm so fond of the sound that my keyboard makes while I'm typing.
It's like 'clack-clack-clack'. It's great.
Turkler says:
I read in the Boston Globe that even knowing you're going to get to take a nap later in the day significantly reduces stress levels, blood pressure, etc.
Ah, here it is:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/naps/
Prudence says:
I blame the Protestant work ethic. Say si to the siesta! Also, those are some adorable rats.
comrade x says:
Reading in a reclined position is very relaxing. Try it if you are having trouble napping ( or sleeping in general).
JohnR says:
I generally run out of steam about 1 or 1:30, and many days just find myself flaking off when I sit down, so I find a quiet area with comfy chairs and nod off for about 1/2 hour. It's amazing how much better I feel afterward. Better than coffee, and I run better the rest of the day when I can get away with that, too.
smelter rat says:
Naps?? Get to work, you dirty fucking hippies. Whadd are ya, Commies??
Patti says:
I'll end up taking an hour-long nap after work about once or twice a month, as needed. It might be a Chick Thing, but I think our sex is better about taking time to relax (hot baths, scented candles, good chocolate). We also live longer. Then again, if you count the number of times you fall asleep in the recliner while watching TV as naps, we may be even. I'd also wander around the Union around 2pm and see the triumphant resurgence in napping in the 18 to 23-year-old demographic.
Shane says:
This is exactly what I keep telling my four your old who is ever more insistent that she is too old for naps. Of course my 5 year old nephew sporting a "Naps are for Sissies" shirt didn't help our cause.
Mrs. Chili says:
SIGN. ME. UP!
tommytimp says:
Napping mats for your napping rats!
I don't know if Target would see that as a good marketing strategy, though.
LucyTooners says:
Americans certainly are programmed wrong. Siesta is a great cultural benefit of living in a civilized country. The idea that we could have more control over our lives both at home and work is wonderous. Also, why is that we get dolled out two weeks of vacation and the Europeans get 6 or so.
We get the shaft that is for sure.
Dave says:
MORE RATTIE PIX PLEASE!
Here's a tip…get a nice smooth rock (or even better a piece of marble flooring) and keep it in the freezer.
On hot days the ratties will love it.
Jimcat says:
Everyone's sleeping patterns are different, so I sympathize with those who take, or would like to take, afternoon naps, even though that just doesn't work for me.
What I don't get is this whole "We don't get enough sleep" thing. I have a full-time job and two children, but I always get 6-8 hours of sleep per night. The exception was when the kids were infants and waking us up at all hours. Other than that, I want to ask people, what are you doing that's so important that it takes precedence over sleep? I do everything better when I'm well-rested, and a minimum of six hours per night is not hard to allocate.
mothra says:
Isn't it funny that, when we were kids, we resisted the nap and even going to bed at night, but now it's what we dream of? Just like I never really fully appreciated summers off until I stopped having them off. If I could only have those days back, I'd NEVER say I was sooooo bored…
SeaTea says:
I'm just going to point out that it looks disturbingly like your rats are sleeping on a piece of stretched human skin.
ZenPoseur says:
Don't look inside the cage! It's the Norvegiconomicon! (/subtle)
Bob Hopeless says:
I love a good nap and truly wish my need for one could be respected at my job.
dominic says:
yesssss more pictures of cute rats
T says:
Read ≥ Nap.
Brian Dunbar says:
Why are humans the only mammal, or close to it, that doesn't rest during the hottest part of the day?
You should read more. As others have pointed out, siesta ain't just a word, it's how things were in the old days: up at dawn, rest during the hottest part of the day, arise when the sun drops below the horizon. Activities that need daylight still happened while the sun was up, however: the weeds don't stop growing just because you're not out picking them.
But we're Puritans! We hate things that feel good!
Too bad your commenter is wrong about that. Siesta – even if not called that – was how things operated in the south. Anglos ante-bellum in Dixie may not have called themselves Puritans but they sure picked up on the work ethic and habits of that class.
And they did sure 'nuff do the siesta thing.
central air-conditioning arrived to
Brian Dunbar says:
(continued after a rude 'enter' key push)
Central air-conditioning arrived to free us of the unproductive habits of siesta. And thank god for AC, I say.
Mark B says:
K-12 in Georgia starts again at the beginning of August, so back to school in July is normal.
Graham says:
Yes, the Mediterranean lifestyle is the most civilised:up early, active until Noon, siesta until 3.00, more activity until 7.00 or so and then dinner.
But this doesn't suit the most important person in our society, the Corporation, so we don't have it.
I am always astonished at how invigorating an afternoon catnap is. Anything that feels that good just has to be good for you.
Rose says:
It's not just Spain/the Mediterranean region that has their napping priorities straight – I'm teaching in China and we get a 2.5 hour break for lunch so both students and teachers can nap. People are shocked if I don't nap during that time. Although I'm not sure how widespread naptime is in Chinese corporate culture. And it also makes the school day stretch until 6pm, so I'm not sure I'm a fan.
Bugboy says:
RE: above comment about mad dogs and Englishmen…that explains TEA TIME!!
I should have been a medical doctor or nurse…I'm blessed with the ability to cat-nap, I can sleep for about 15 minutes and feel completely refreshed. I used to have a job with an hour lunch, close to home. I'd have my lunch and take a quick snooze….RECHARGE!!!
twiffer says:
we all know we could use a nap in the afternoon. countless studies have been done on it. it's been demonstrated both scientifically and anecdotally that taking a nap increases productivity. doesn't seem to matter; our culture is against us. naps are for kids, or the lazy, or if you are sick. instead, we just drug ourselves awake with caffiene, or drink some noxious "energy" drink.
Patrick says:
I was impressed by how different the Spanish schedule was. They get their afternoon naps, but I'm not certain they get enough sleep.