One of my greatest childhood regrets is not taking advantage of
mandatory afternoon naps. I was definitely not a favorite of my
kindergarten teacher (and the other sleepy kids I pestered).
Now that I’m actually old enough to plan time for napping
and relaxing, every day is a race against time. I’m lucky if
I get six hours of regular sleep.
But just when I thought all hope was lost for relaxation and
leisure (perhaps it’s karma, given my history of misbehavior
during nap time), a glimmer of hope consoled me: the existence of
the siesta custom in Spain.
From around 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., businesses close and workers
retire home to nap, eat and relax to refuel before returning to
work. “Š
While I’m not suggesting that American cities should
systematically shut down, it dawned on me that we, too, should
individually integrate periods of relaxation and tranquil leisure
into our lives.
In today’s fast-paced world, many of us fall victim to the
busybody syndrome, neglecting relaxation, leisure or simply some
much-needed physical and emotional rest.
Many sufferers find it difficult to distinguish between the
overachiever mentality that so many of us have become accustomed to
that contributes to this confusion.
Or maybe it’s the pressure to fill up our resumes.
“People never think that they’re doing enough. …
Everyone feels like they have to multitask,” said Evan
Parzych, a third-year business economics student.
But there’s nothing wrong with smelling the roses once in
a while.
Then again, I’ll admit it: I have workaholic tendencies,
too.
Such a lifestyle convinced me that it’s normal to get two
hours of sleep every night, lose clumps of hair, always have the
knot of stress in your stomach, and skip meals ““ just because
there isn’t enough time.
So what is different about Spanish society that allows the
siesta to exist, and why is it that many Americans are always on
their toes? How and why do they have such different takes on the
concept of rest and leisure?
Spanish culture prioritizes differently, choosing “quality
of life over quantity,” according to Stefanie Wong, a
fourth-year ecology, behavior and evolution student.
Wong, who traveled to Spain this past summer, noted that this
idea influenced her decision to cut back on her busy life to truly
enjoy the college experience.
“Life was one big checklist. I wasn’t living in the
now,” said Wong, who was previously involved in many
activities.
Though still active on campus, Wong is spending her last year at
UCLA cultivating her interests, taking a class outside of her major
and exploring Los Angeles.
Wong noted that Spanish traditions helped her form quality
connections with people via leisurely, long meals detached from the
busy tendencies of life.
“I realized how nice it was. I was smiling so much,”
Wong said.
Not only are regular resting and leisure periods psychologically
beneficial, but they are biologically essential. According to the
Los Angeles Times, an experiment confirmed that “just six
days of sleep restricted to four hours pushed 11 healthy, young
male volunteers into a pre-diabetic state. … Chronic, partial
sleep deprivation damaged the body, not just the mind.”
Additionally, no other period of time in life offers the liberty
to freely explore interests and passions as college, especially
with the wide range of clubs and activities on campus and the
second-largest U.S. city right in our own backyard.
While it’s important to focus on the future and stay on
top of work and other obligations, we should seize opportunities to
harvest all that college life offers, such as having adventures out
in town or making time to sit around with friends and talk about
important issues.
People can still gain a lot from these things even if they
aren’t directly related to their careers.
While finding time to nap still remains a rarity, I’ve
recently begun taking better care of myself by getting at least
seven hours of sleep a day.
It’s less time-saving than, say, four hours of sleep, but
the results are worth the investment: greater alertness and energy,
and therefore greater productivity and efficiency.
And am I ashamed to admit that I still sleep with my stuffed
blue dog from my kindergarten days?
Nope ““ napping, sleeping and leisure are for college kids,
too.
Spill your childhood woes to jyoo@media.ucla.edu.
Send
general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.