THE EFFECT OF SIESTA IN REDUCING STRESS
I will be talking about the various effects of a siesta on stress reduction in this article. I will start by giving the definition of siesta. Let’s dive in.
What is a siesta?
According to Wikipedia, “A siesta is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal.” In order words, a siesta can be defined as a short afternoon rest or nap that is practised in most hot countries and lasts for about 20 to 30 minutes max. This kind of rest is usually taken after a meal or during work breaks.
Siesta is associated with lots of health benefits such as,
- Enhanced Memory
- Calmed Nerves
- Better Mood
- Creative Thinking
- Reduces the risk of high blood pressure
- Alertness
- Better Performance
- Decreased fatigue
- Reduced Stress
- Lower risk of heart diseases.
Those are only a few beneficial effects associated with siesta. It is obvious that there are advantages to having a siesta, so I will proceed to the main point here, which is the effect of a siesta in reducing stress. Before I go into detail, I would like to explain stress briefly.
What is stress?
Stress can be defined as any type of change or reaction that causes emotional, psychological, or physical tension to a person. It is a normal way you react to overwhelming situations, which could lead to frustration, anger, or anxiety. It is simply your body’s way of saying it doesn’t feel good in a particular situation or place. There are different causes of stress. They are;
- Work-related problems.
- Parenting issues.
- Financial problems.
- Daily life activities.
- Overwhelming Responsibilities.
- Relationship issues.
- Health-related issues.
- Loss of a loved one.
Those are some of the causes of stress in humans, and there are other reasons you can be stressed in different areas of your life. What are the effects of a siesta on stress reduction? Let’s look into them.
- It lessens tension: After a long day at work, or a hectic activity, you are likely to be stressed and tired. Research shows that having naps can help you feel alert and also reduce stress. The tension that comes from all the work done, or the emotions you feel, can be reduced when you have a siesta, as this helps you calm down and feel a lot better when you wake up.
- Prevents fatigue: Stress leads to tiredness, also known as fatigue. If you did many chores, spent lots of hours outside home working, had a school day, or you just feel weak from everything you did the week before, a good nap can easily clear your mind and relieve your body from stress and help fight fatigue at the same time.
- Overall health: It has been proven that taking a siesta from time to time has lots of health benefits and the capacity to improve your daily lifestyle. Siestas increase your energy to do things and also your productivity level and help control or regulate your mood, thereby reducing depression and improving relaxation.
- Prevents sleep disorder: sleep disorders like insomnia that makes it hard for you to stay asleep or cause you to get up earlier than you should be prevented when you have siestas as it affects your overall mood in a positive way, thereby aiding a night of peaceful sleep.
- Smart functioning: There are proven researches that show the that can improve your intelligence, decrease stress, and be more vigilant or alert when you have your siesta. An afternoon nap simply means more competence, perseverance, better time management, good health, and improved knowledge or learning.
- Reduced accident risk: Now, when you have a car, and you work long hours almost every day of the week, you are most likely to get stressed out with the whole bustles that come with work and other daily activities. You can risk being involved in an accident if you don’t rest every now and then. Your body needs rest, and a siesta at some point during work is very important as it helps you perform better and feel totally different in a good way. Driving with all that tension and stress could lead to falling asleep or losing concentration on the road. That is something you don’t want to happen, so having naps whenever you can, like during break periods, is quite crucial.
- Gets you ready for the day: Having a siesta when you are in a bad mood helps you think and gives your brain time to process things, which can eventually lead you to calm down. Having a siesta at a time when you are upset will make you see things from a different view, thereby making you prepared for the next day in a better mood. Conflicts cause stress and tension, so if you take a nap, you’re definitely going to feel much better by resolving those issues amicably.
- Problem Solving: You do way better at solving problems and making decisions when you are less stressed. Being stressed reduces your ability to make good decisions or solve certain problems that may arise. When you take a nap, you rejuvenate your whole body and mind, which in turn, leads to a better sense of judgement and reasoning. Following a constant nap routine frees the mind from its burdens gradually.
- Decreases Cortisol Level: Cortisol is a type of hormone in your body that affects some parts of your body. It mainly assists in regulating your body’s response or reaction to stress. It is the main stress hormone in your body. The cortisol works with specific parts of your brain to affect mood, anxiety, and stress. Having a siesta during the day, or anytime you can, helps decrease your cortisol level, as you are calming yourself and reducing stress while you lay down quiet, without anything bothering you at that particular moment.
Those are some of the outstanding effects of siesta in reducing stress. Always care about yourself. Goodluck!
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