As temperatures soared to 45 degrees Celsius in Greece, security staff and tour guides at the Parthenon went on strike, unable to work in the scorching afternoons of Athens.
“The extreme weather conditions are challenging for the country. However, the Ministry of Culture has not taken decisive measures to protect workers and tourists,” the Panhellenic Union of Antiquities Workers stated in a press release. The union reported that many individuals fainted and suffered from heat exhaustion at the Acropolis (the site that includes the Parthenon). This was the reason for their strike.
Nap Time
In fact, when the security staff and guides refused to work during peak heat hours, they essentially contributed to reviving an ancient Mediterranean tradition: the siesta.
Siesta Culture
Historically, Mediterranean people had the habit of eating a large meal and taking a short nap around midday. This lifestyle was quite common in Southern European countries like Greece, Spain, and Italy. However, in modern times, siestas have become less common across Europe.
“The siesta predates human existence. Evidence shows that many animal species become inactive during hot weather or at noon,” said Dr. Simon Quilty, a researcher at the Australian National University. Dr. Quilty is the author of a scientific paper discussing cultural shifts due to rising temperatures.
He noted that the tradition of taking siestas has faced criticism in recent years. In 2016, the Prime Minister of Spain even proposed a policy to ban workers from taking siestas.
Many animal species also choose to nap to avoid the hottest part of the day. (Photo: Alarmy).
“There is strong resistance to the long-standing tradition of the siesta,” Quilty remarked. “This reflects a shift in human values over the past 15-20 years. Financial issues and material interests are altering culture and, in particular, destroying living environments.”
The term “siesta” originates from the Latin phrase sexta hora, meaning the sixth hour after dawn. This is the time when the sun reaches its zenith, and it’s best for people to avoid the heat with a hearty meal and a short nap.
Climate change is causing temperatures in many countries to continually break records. According to an analysis by the nonprofit organization Climate Central, climate change has resulted in 98% of the Earth’s population living in hotter conditions than before.
Even places without a tradition of taking siestas are considering this solution, especially as heat becomes increasingly severe. A public health organization in Germany, known for its high productivity, has proposed a policy allowing workers to take siestas to avoid health issues related to heat.
Napping may also be an effective solution to combat the extreme heat in the U.S., according to José María Martín Olalla, a physics professor at the University of Seville (Spain).
“Allowing workers to take a siesta means helping them limit their exposure to the hottest times of the day,” Olalla said.
Napping helps people, especially those working outdoors, avoid activities in extreme heat. (Photo: The New York Times).
However, Spain and the U.S. have significant cultural differences, particularly regarding work and lunch schedules. According to Professor Olalla, the siesta not only allows workers to rest but also signals that it is lunchtime.
“For example, in Spain, lunch is the main meal of the day,” Olalla noted. “In contrast, lunch in the U.S. has a less prominent role.”
The siesta is quite popular in Spanish culture. However, with urbanization, the prevalence of afternoon naps has gradually declined. “Now, not every Spaniard takes a siesta,” said the physics professor from the University of Seville. Nonetheless, he believes that the extreme heat of climate change is reviving this lifestyle.
200,000 Lives Could Be Lost Due to Heat
According to a study by Texas A&M University, the anticipated rise in global temperatures will lead to an increase in heat-related deaths. Researchers predict that 200,000 people may die from extreme heat by the end of the 21st century, five times more than in the previous century.
Mayra Reiter, the program director of Safety and Occupational Health at Farmworker Justice, stated that a siesta could help mitigate the adverse effects of hot weather on workers, especially those who must work outdoors.
“Whether it’s a siesta or a break during the workday, workers need it when working in hot weather,” Reiter explained. “Otherwise, they face risks of kidney damage from dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even death from high temperatures.”
In the U.S., companies are experimenting with various solutions, including allowing workers to take siestas, to address climate change. (Photo: Shutterstock).
In the U.S., employers are testing numerous solutions to cope with extreme heat. Following a record hot summer, companies are trying out ice-filled vests, sweat-absorbing patches, and paid breaks to help workers operate effectively in hot weather.
In agriculture, a field that requires significant time for planting, tending, and harvesting crops, farmers are shifting to nighttime harvesting to avoid daytime heat.
Dr. Brenda Jacklitsch, a health scientist and heat expert at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, supports the idea of allowing workers, especially those working outdoors, to take siestas.
Construction workers are also at risk of heat-related fatalities. In 2022, the mother of a construction worker in Texas filed a lawsuit against the contractor for $1 million after her son died from heat exposure. The mother believes the company could have helped her son avoid death if they implemented more heat mitigation measures.
“You know, noon is the hottest time of the day, when the sun is at its zenith,” Jacklitsch remarked. “Therefore, arranging the heaviest, most stressful tasks for early morning or late evening could be a suitable solution to help workers work safely and efficiently.”
Positive Signals Amid Climate Change
One of the main benefits that siestas provide workers is regulating their body temperature. According to Nathan Morris, an environmental physiology professor at the University of Colorado, napping can help cool people both internally and externally.
The idea of adapting rather than fighting against extreme heat may contradict the work culture in the U.S. However, according to Dr. Quilty, local traditions and cultures in tropical regions tend to respond well to the dangers of extreme temperatures.
“People should simply understand that hot weather is very dangerous,” he stated.
According to Norman Frank Jurrula, a colleague of Quilty studying how indigenous peoples adapt to climate change, siestas are an example of how humans respond to hot weather. Another response, he notes, is how people pay attention to drought conditions and move to areas with more stable water sources.
Napping is a positive signal amid climate change. (Photo: Shutterstock).
However, the limitation in the research by Quilty and Jurrula is the reliance on historical data rather than viewing climate change as a contemporary issue. In reality, this problem is raising global temperatures to levels where humans struggle to survive.
According to Professor Olalla, the positive signal is that people are trying to adapt to this. The practice of taking siestas has started to appear in the U.S.—a country notorious for deaths due to overworking, skipping meals, and sleeplessness to work.
“By the way, when I received the email inviting me for this interview, I was taking a siesta,” Olalla said in an interview to illustrate the enduring power of the afternoon nap.
