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One of my greatest childhood regrets is not taking advantage of mandatory afternoon naps. I was definitely not a favorite of my kindergarten teacher (and the other sleepy kids I pestered).

Now that I’m actually old enough to plan time for napping and relaxing, every day is a race against time. I’m lucky if I get six hours of regular sleep.

But just when I thought all hope was lost for relaxation and leisure (perhaps it’s karma, given my history of misbehavior during nap time), a glimmer of hope consoled me: the existence of the siesta custom in Spain.

From around 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., businesses close and workers retire home to nap, eat and relax to refuel before returning to work.  

While I’m not suggesting that American cities should systematically shut down, it dawned on me that we, too, should individually integrate periods of relaxation and tranquil leisure into our lives.

In today’s fast-paced world, many of us fall victim to the busybody syndrome, neglecting relaxation, leisure or simply some much-needed physical and emotional rest.

Many sufferers find it difficult to distinguish between the overachiever mentality that so many of us have become accustomed to that contributes to this confusion.

Or maybe it’s the pressure to fill up our resumes.

“People never think that they’re doing enough. ... Everyone feels like they have to multitask,” said Evan Parzych, a third-year business economics student.

But there’s nothing wrong with smelling the roses once in a while.

Then again, I’ll admit it: I have workaholic tendencies, too.

Such a lifestyle convinced me that it’s normal to get two hours of sleep every night, lose clumps of hair, always have the knot of stress in your stomach, and skip meals – just because there isn’t enough time.

So what is different about Spanish society that allows the siesta to exist, and why is it that many Americans are always on their toes? How and why do they have such different takes on the concept of rest and leisure?

Spanish culture prioritizes differently, choosing “quality of life over quantity,” according to Stefanie Wong, a fourth-year ecology, behavior and evolution student.

Wong, who traveled to Spain this past summer, noted that this idea influenced her decision to cut back on her busy life to truly enjoy the college experience.

“Life was one big checklist. I wasn’t living in the now,” said Wong, who was previously involved in many activities.

Though still active on campus, Wong is spending her last year at UCLA cultivating her interests, taking a class outside of her major and exploring Los Angeles.

Wong noted that Spanish traditions helped her form quality connections with people via leisurely, long meals detached from the busy tendencies of life.

“I realized how nice it was. I was smiling so much,” Wong said.

Not only are regular resting and leisure periods psychologically beneficial, but they are biologically essential. According to the Los Angeles Times, an experiment confirmed that “just six days of sleep restricted to four hours pushed 11 healthy, young male volunteers into a pre-diabetic state. ... Chronic, partial sleep deprivation damaged the body, not just the mind.”

Additionally, no other period of time in life offers the liberty to freely explore interests and passions as college, especially with the wide range of clubs and activities on campus and the second-largest U.S. city right in our own backyard.

While it’s important to focus on the future and stay on top of work and other obligations, we should seize opportunities to harvest all that college life offers, such as having adventures out in town or making time to sit around with friends and talk about important issues.

People can still gain a lot from these things even if they aren’t directly related to their careers.

While finding time to nap still remains a rarity, I’ve recently begun taking better care of myself by getting at least seven hours of sleep a day.

It’s less time-saving than, say, four hours of sleep, but the results are worth the investment: greater alertness and energy, and therefore greater productivity and efficiency.

And am I ashamed to admit that I still sleep with my stuffed blue dog from my kindergarten days?

Nope – napping, sleeping and leisure are for college kids, too.

Spill your childhood woes to jyoo@media.ucla.edu. Send

general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.