Prenda un pelo, it' s buona per voi

In a few short days I will begin my 53rd year on this planet. I find I am now questioning those important matters of life: grown children? retirement plans? moving to a warmer climate? No, there is one thing I can honestly say causes a greater concern:

Will I get my nap today?

The nap!

Encarta dictionary defines it as: a period of short light sleep, especially during the day.

In other countries the nap is known as:

Chinese: 休息 (<- can’t you envision a person walking over to a bed here??)

Italian: pelo

Dutch: dutje

Russian: ворсина

Spanish: siesta

German: Haar

It is said Europe and Asia are far advanced of the United States in culture, life styles and the humanities, based on the simple fact of: longevity. They have been around longer than we have. They have had more practice than we have.

We, in the United States, claim technology, production, natural resources as our forte. I believe we should allow our Euro/Asian friends take the lead on this one.

Here is more information, I stole this directly from Wikipedia, so it is an absolute truth.

Biological need for naps

The timing of sleep in humans depends upon a balance between homeostatic sleep propensity, the need for sleep as a function of the amount of time elapsed since the last adequate sleep episode, and circadian rhythms which determine the ideal timing of a correctly structured and restorative sleep episode. The homeostatic pressure to sleep starts growing upon awakening. The circadian signal for wakefulness starts building in the (late) afternoon. As Harvard professor of sleep medicine Charles A. Czeisler claims.

We have people in the world like Charles A. Czeisler, to explain homeostatic sleep propensity and how naps are important.

Another important investigation I did, again, Wikipedia

Siesta in other cultures

The Washington Post of February 13, 2007 reports at length on studies in Greece that indicate that those who nap have less risk of heart attack.^[4]An example of a siesta-like habit can for example be found in Serbia and Slovenia. Especially among older citizens, it is common to observe the so-called "house rule", requiring people to refrain from telephoning or visiting each other between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., as people are supposed to be resting. In some southern German-speaking regions, the Mittagspause (de:Mittagspause) or Mittagsruhe (de:Mittagsruhe) is still customary; shops close, and children are expected to play quietly indoors.

In South Asia, the idea of a post-lunch nap is common. In Bangladesh and West Bengal, the word which describes the concept is bhat-ghum, literally meaning "rice-sleep", a nap after lunch.

Afternoon sleep is also a common habit in China and Taiwan after the midday meal. Some Japanese offices have special rooms known as napping rooms for their workers to take a nap. In Islam, it is encouraged to take a nap between Dhuhr (midday) and Asr (afternoon) prayers, with the intention of doing tahajjud later in the night.

Again, the above was stolen from Wikipedia.

So after all the research, the cultural facts, the biological human requirements, my questions is why do we consider naps to be a bad thing?

Why do I feel I am doing something evil?

Why do I feel I must sneak a nap in when no one is around?

Should I move to Europe where naps are more accepted?

I think not. The BEST part of a nap is the feeling of getting away with something.

“HA! I slept for 45 minutes and you didn’t even notice!!”

Proper Nap Preparation - PNP

There are critical nap protocols that must be adhered to:

1. Naps are to be taken in a place other than your bed.

2. You are required to cover yourself with a light cover, again not a blanket from your bed.

3. You must be fully dressed. (hair combed and make up is a nice touch)

4. You must, and this is a critical point – keep your shoes on.

Following these four steps will provide you with the most fulfilling ‘got away with it’ feeling upon awakening.

So I will continue with my Nap Quest, my Siesta Agradecida, my glückselige Ruhe.

And I bid you good night!

btw...prenda un pelo, it' s buona per voi in english means: take a nap it is good for you.