To some women, sleep is as easy as changing into their favourite pyjamas and lying down on the bed. To others, sleep is as complicated as a math problem, following stages of evening rituals before actually hitting slumberdom. We all need sleep, but we do it differently.
If you are wondering how people in the different corners of the hemisphere doze off, take a look at these surprising sleep habits:
Siestas in Spain
In the Spanish and Latin communities, people take siestas or short afternoon naps. This tradition dates back hundreds of years, where historians suggest that farmers were the first ones to benefit. After working under a hot weather, farmers take a midday pause to go home, eat lunch with their families, and take a nice, breezy rest. Early afternoon, sleep experts say, is when the body naturally gets tired, so having siesta is a good thing for all.
Inemuri in Japan
In Japan, employees stand out during their inemuri – sleeping while present – a sight usually familiar on park benches, trains, stairs or even streets. It is a clever tease, but the struggle is real; inemuri only reflects the culture of working hard with less sleep. Japanese people rest the least compared to the world, averaging only 6 hours and 22 minutes each night. To solve this problem, modern-day companies have recommended office napping, allowing the workforce to make up for their lost Zzzs and gain strength for better productivity.
Birthday Suit Brits in the UK
The National Sleep Foundation has pointed out that 1/3 of the Britons sleep most nights with no clothing on, a massive percentage compared to just 8% of Americans who sleep in their birthday suits. There's benefit to this preference; the body is made to drop its temperature during your slumber, which gives you quality shut-eye. Fussy sleepwear can keep the body too warm which leads to restlessness. You might not want to sleep naked, but the closest to achieving the optimal temperature is by sleeping in smooth fabrics, like a pair of silk pyjamas, to keep you covered and cool at the same time.
Unscheduled Sleeps in Africa
Hunter tribes in Botswana and Zaire have developed a fondness for random sleep: during the day, at night, or at the wee hours of the morning. Sleep specialists recommend that sleeping when one is tired is the best way to stave off sleep anxiety.
Fear Sleeps in Indonesia
People in Bali were observed to exhibit a strange sleeping custom called Todoet Poeles, or fear sleep. They doze off instantly during stressful situations, temporarily taking a break and reducing impulsive comebacks. They may be onto something; when overwhelmed with anxiety-inducing scenarios, sleep is the best way to rejuvenate, rethink, and pull yourself together.
There's power in sleep. The world recognizes the need for it and responds in different ways and patterns. You have all the reason to get your snooze, so go ahead – pull those silk pyjamas on, wrap yourself in a blanket, and nod off.
