La Siesta

Living in Mozambique I got used to one of their charming cultural experiences .. the daily siesta. At noon the shops closed and other businesses shut down until about 2:30 in the afternoon. This allowed the Muslims their noon prayers and the rest of us a nap.

The noon nap is quite common in most tropical countries and in subtropical and Mediterranean nations.

The Washington Post of 13 February 2007 reports at length on studies in Greece that indicate that those who nap have less risk of heart attack. The siesta habit has been associated with a 37 percent reduction in coronary mortality, possibly due to reduced cardiovascular stress mediated by daytime sleep.

I think it is quite a civilized habit .. a nap during the hot part of the day. One I enjoy indulging in.