By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Q: What is the secret of this Chinese siesta (naptime)?
Across mostly all cities and schools and jobs, whole districts will literally be closed / shut-down from 12 to 2, for the universal nap time...
I've seen some co-workers even bring foam mattresses into the work office to take this Chinese siesta nap. Then they simply doze off for the hours between morning and afternoon.
I'm typically not from here and cannot doze off when and it's light outside
What is the big deal / secret of it, so much so that I don't know another bizzare norm that spans across every school, business, and home, in China? Also, how long has this been going on? Is it ancient practice?
"There's work be done! Why you sleeping on my papers?"
You've never been to Italy, S. France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, S. Florida? It's called 'siesta time'.
I saw cop napping in police car with driver's doors open, and one leg hanging outside. 2pm, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, Sep., 2010.
First thing came to my mind was: 'He needs help'.
In Jianou, Fujian, they close cop's booth on the main city's traffic crossing at 12:30 till 2:30. Not that is any less traffic in that time.
However, in Jianou all girls are ridding vespas in minis, so I let it slide this time.
icnif77:
Italians invented 'siesta'
.
Everything is closed from 12:30 till 3:30pm. Even pigeons are silent in that time in Italy.
royceH:
I've seen two policemen parked at an intersection with their seats right back and both sound asleep. Karamay, 2012/13/14/15.
Siesta time here is 1.30 till 4.
icnif77:
Cops in China don't give a fuk. When is siesta, no crime can be committed.
Did you know, lunch break in Xin. is an hour later than elsewhere in China?
You've never been to Italy, S. France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, S. Florida? It's called 'siesta time'.
I saw cop napping in police car with driver's doors open, and one leg hanging outside. 2pm, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, Sep., 2010.
First thing came to my mind was: 'He needs help'.
In Jianou, Fujian, they close cop's booth on the main city's traffic crossing at 12:30 till 2:30. Not that is any less traffic in that time.
However, in Jianou all girls are ridding vespas in minis, so I let it slide this time.
icnif77:
Italians invented 'siesta'.
Everything is closed from 12:30 till 3:30pm. Even pigeons are silent in that time in Italy.
royceH:
I've seen two policemen parked at an intersection with their seats right back and both sound asleep. Karamay, 2012/13/14/15.
Siesta time here is 1.30 till 4.
icnif77:
Cops in China don't give a fuk. When is siesta, no crime can be committed.
Did you know, lunch break in Xin. is an hour later than elsewhere in China?
I think it comes from the days when everyone worked on the land, farming etc.
They would get up with the sun, work until it was too hot, sleep during the hottest part of the day then work again when it got a little cooler.
Most people I know are still very early risers.
It doesn't make for a very productive office but then people working in an office is probably a very recent thing for China.
Humans are actually supposed to sleep around noontime because of our natural circadian rhythms. That's why people feel tired around 3 or 4 in the office and need to drink coffee. Naps can be beneficial.
In South of Europe, there's siesta time. Where I'm living, it's mostly during the summer days. I've seen it in Vietnam too
The rationale is:
* Summer can be quite hot, 35c to 40c, around noon
* No aircon, people here build home with lots of insulation & close the windows when the Sun is directly on them. It works fine, use no energy, but okay, at noon, it can be a bit warmer.
* People willl be active when at the cooler times : they will eat late, go to bed later, wake up a bit early. Spain is the textbook example of that.
* But they will be less active during the hottest time, ie noon. The nap is around 30 minutes after lunch, when you're digestion is knocking you off anyway.
I don't think it's a big problem, it's even not a bad idea, if it's within reason (ie. not 2 hours followed by 2 hours fumbling on the Internet). But then, I'm from South of Europe ^^
I think the real reason is the heat in the summer. It takes real drive to avoid a siesta binge in the summer.
I think the habit carries over a bit into the winter too, just because they're used to doing that in the summer?
I used to think they were lazy for taking naps between 12-2 PM but then I realized that many Chinese got up very early like around 5 - 6am.
Many Chinese come from farmers (well most humans do at some point in time) and worked extremely hard. The sun is the highest and hottest between these times, so why not take a nap? Farmers work extremely hard and the need the rest.
Also, as hi2u mentioned... I think it restores the chemical balance in your body and allows you to digest your food. I would sometimes feel drained after lunch and a good 2 hour nap really hits the spot. So I have changed my opinion on it.
I also noticed that that even IF you want to sleep longer during this siesta the body really only needs 1.5 to 2 hours and then kind of forces you awake.
DrMonkey:
The digestion : it's quite an energy-hungry process, actually ^^ When you run for a while, for example, your body will provide less oxygen to various part of the body which are of little use on a long run : digestion, some part of the brain, etc, as an energy saving measure. Same goes when you digest your lunch, hence the need for sleeping.
I love 'Siesta time!' Work feels so much more productive after having a short nap. I've read several published articles all which are evidence that points to major gains in the workplace when employees have a rest. In the USA, lunch break is rarely a rest unless you pack your own food and eat quickly. Otherwise it's a rush- that's not going to aid productivity (especially with blood swelling in your intestinal tract- which tires you further).
I often have a lunchtime nap. I am not getting paid for that hour, so why not get my head down for a while ? Especially now that the company I work for has set the aircon to 28C.
Aircon at 28C is not good for productivity.
2 Hours is way too much, but I do believe in 10-15 min power naps.
Whenever I can I do it right after lunch, it takes me 30 seconds to fall asleep and I sleep literally max 15 min. Then I can work non stop till late without being tired. If I have no chance, by 6pm I'm not productive anymore, and dead after dinner.
Been doing it since longtime before coming to China, from my university days.
...For God's sake! I suggest you to watch the movie A Woman.
(P.s. I don't really believe in God...just don't know any expressions without mentioning her...God is a girl, right?)
conscious or unconscious procrastination makes little difference. naps are probably healthier.
I don't nap during midday. I know the health benefits of napping and so on but to me it only makes your day longer.
So I bargained with my boss, I am being productive and work while others nap and I can leave an hour earlier in the evening. At first some of my colleagues complained "snif snif, so unfair" but it was all cool after explanation.
I probably go to bed earlier than them in the evening though.
