Why is naptime only reserved for preschoolers and kindergarteners? Frankly, I don’t get it.

In Spain, there’s this thing called a siesta. Everything stops for a short period of time in the afternoon so people can catch a quick nap. Stores shut down. Restaurants are closed. The streets empty out. Why is this not a worldwide phenomenon?

We live in a world that’s so ridiculously fast paced and over booked. Our days are scheduled to the minute, and we forego sleep in order to accommodate even more commitments. Life can so easily become just one big collection of to do lists. When we’re going a mile a minute in so many directions, it’s difficult - if not impossible – to truly experience all of the amazing things we get to do in this life.

Even beyond that, our body needs sleep, and putting ourselves through so much stress isn’t doing it any favors. Sleep is one of those rare things that is both good for you and SO AWESOME, so why does it so easily get shuffled down to the lowest priority in our day?

I’m student teaching in a fourth grade classroom right now, and I am just having a blast. There is no question in my mind that I want to spend my days and precious hours with crazy, intuitive, talkative, goofballs who are so full of life for a very long time. But between teaching, grading, lesson planning, doing assignments for my university supervisor, living in the dorms, working on campus to earn gas money, being editor in chief of an awesome writing community, and driving 35 miles a day, I’m exhausted.

It is a well-known fact that your productivity plummets as you get more and more tired. Those caffeine fueled all-nighters don’t count; don’t lie – you know you could totally have written that paper in half the time if you had just sat down and written it during the day when you actually still had energy and your eyes would stay open. Really it would be a huge boost to a whole slew of industries. We practically can’t afford not to get some more Zs!

So I propose that we bring back naptime. Why should the little kids get to have all the fun (and relaxation)?! I think our culture could use a little slowdown every once in a while. Who’s with me??