"He who rests well, works well" - this ancient wisdom seems to have long been adopted by the Greeks. Like many Mediterranean countries, Greece has a very pleasant custom - siesta, or afternoon rest.
The history of this wonderful custom goes back to the ancient world. It is believed that the ancestors of the siesta are the ancient Romans, but is it so? We know how much the Romans borrowed from the Greeks.
The word "siesta" itself comes from the Latin "hora sexta," which means the sixth hour. It was a Roman calculation of time, and if you translate "sixth hour" into modern terms, the siesta would be at lunch time, around noon. Usually the siesta lasts from 1 to 4 p.m., during the heat of the sun.
Greeks honor and observe the traditions and customs of their ancestors, especially those so pleasant and useful as the siesta. What is the essence of the siesta? It's very simple. Practice shows that the inhabitants of the more northern latitudes consider the period from morning till evening to be the main working time, whereas southerners, taking into account the midday heat, prefer to take a break during the day and finish work a little later, in the cooler evening hours. And so it is customary for Greeks to take refuge from the heat in the afternoon and head for the realm of Morpheus.
There are three main arguments in favor of a siesta, and they are all worthy of consideration. After Athens airport taxi first of all, 7 to 8 hours after awakening, the energy level drops, and it is necessary to let the body rest in order not to overwork it. The siesta time is also influenced by the fact that after a hearty lunch there is an outflow of blood to the digestive system, which causes drowsiness. And finally, the third factor is a truly hot climate in Greece, when at noon the temperature in the sun can be over 40 ° C.
To work in this heat is only to torture your body. Serious scientific studies have proven that such an afternoon nap is essential for children under five years of age and highly desirable for all adults, especially young men. Greek scientists led by Constantine Soldatos together with American colleagues have concluded that siesta has such positive properties:
- it normalizes blood circulation;
- significantly improves memory, makes it easier to learn;
- prevents the development of depression and stress;
Significantly increases efficiency and maintains a high tone of the body to the evening.
It is worth mentioning that the Greeks have a high life expectancy (the average life expectancy of women is 80 years, and of men about 78 years), and cardiovascular diseases are much less common than in other Europeans.
This custom is so ingrained among the inhabitants of Greece that even large cities during siesta hours seem to die out. Pedestrians stop walking down the streets, stores and stores are closed, and traffic almost ceases. Unfortunately, in the big cities some Greeks have begun to depart from the old traditions and conventions, but in the provinces during the afternoon rest it is often impossible to buy even a bottle of water. Greeks are used to this way of life, which can only be envied.
There are unwritten laws of "proper" siesta, that is such a rest, which will be beneficial to the body:
- The ideal duration of an afternoon nap is 30 minutes;
- If sleep lasts more than 40 minutes, then all its beneficial effects come to naught;
- siestas are contraindicated for people with sleep disorders and insomnia;
- siestas are extremely necessary for children, it is best to spend it around 4 pm;
The most suitable place for an afternoon nap is a cozy armchair or a sofa.
This tradition, which reaches our days from time immemorial, should be treated with respect. Greeks will never disturb you during the siesta with an unwarranted phone call or a visit. Siesta is a time of rest and recuperation, and it is considered bad form to disturb this. For visitors to Greece this custom is unusual, but as practice shows, tourists gladly adopt this wonderful opportunity to indulge in afternoon rest and fully enjoy the siesta.
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