Spanish stereotypes: They love siestas

Spaniards can no longer afford the luxury of an afternoon nap thanks to the demands of their multinational economy
Siesta in hammock
Experts say Germans indulge in more lunchtime naps than Spaniards. Photograph: Alamy

Siestas are good for the heart, make your brain work better and put you in a good mood, according to various medical studies.

This should be a point of honour in a country credited with inventing, or at least naming, the post-lunch nap. But, alas, Spain no longer leads Europe when it comes to kipping down in the afternoon.

Only one in 10 Spaniards manages a daily siesta, according to a study by mattress manufacturer Pikolin. Experts say the nap rate is actually higher in Germany.

Holy Roman Emperor Carlos V reportedly took a short siesta sleeping upright in a chair with a heavy key in his hand. When they key crashed to the floor, the siesta was over. Nobel prize novelist Camilo José Cela recommended a more formal approach – donning pyjamas, saying a prayer and taking a piss-pot to the bedroom. But the move to standard multinational office hours with their meagre lunch hours means the siesta is now reserved for weekends and holidays.

In fact, now the siesta has gone Spain is suffering sleep deprivation. Studies suggest Spaniards sleep 20 fewer minutes a day than a century ago. Late bedtimes and an 8am or 9am start mean many workers reach the office already bleary-eyed. Even schoolchildren suffer, with almost one in 20 of those in the Valencia region reportedly regularly dozing off in class.