It’s about 2pm and you’re starting to feel quite sleepy. The sun is shining, you had some heavy food for lunch and your eyes are getting heavy. Most of us attempt to avoid this by drinking some tea/coffee or scrolling through our phones but Bengal, France and China have created ways to appreciate this time. Each built a respectful midday pause into daily life, and each treats the afternoon nap as something normal, not lazy. This is common within many cultures as many countries have Spain’s famous siesta times e.g Spain and relaxing afternoons in Asia. Below are examples of how 3 countries take advantage of this and what we can learn from them in Bangladesh.
Bengal and Bhaat Ghum
Every family in Bengal knows what bhaat ghum means. Translating to rice sleep, everyone will fall into a deep relaxed sleep after eating a large plate of rice, dal and fish. This can still be seen today within Dhaka or Sylhet on a calm Friday afternoon. Everything will be very quiet within the house. Fans will be on a low setting, shutters will be half closed and everything will be very relaxed for an hour.
This makes sense within a hot and humid country. Like other hot areas of the world it makes sense to have a break in the middle of the day. However many people no longer take this break due to long commutes and busy work schedules. Your body will still want to take a break which causes many people to feel tired and bored after their lunch.
France and China: Two Different Ways to Rest
Within France there is a specific lunch break. Many shops and schools will still be closed for around 2 hours in the early afternoon. People can relax, eat slowly and chat. Whilst it isn’t really a nap the French do take a break. Some companies are slowly starting to let people nap during work.
China has a more obvious example. A short nap of around half an hour is common within offices, schools and even factories. After their quick lunch workers will often have a short break. Within China taking a break is not seen as lazy. Many people see it as a clever way to stay alert for the rest of their afternoon.
What Readers Can Borrow
You don’t need to take a long break to benefit from this. Here are some quick tips:
•Eat your lunch slowly away from your screen.
•Have a 15-30 minute break (longer breaks can make you sleepy).
•Make your lunch and prayer break at work a real break.
•Don’t have heavy teas/coffees later on in the afternoon so you can have a peaceful night’s sleep.
These short breaks are free and will help you have a calmer afternoon.
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