Is Taking a Nap Considered Childish in the Western World?

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IzzybearThebestdog@reddit

Random nap? Not particularly.

Regularly napping, or a scheduled time to nap? Yes very much associated with young kids or retired people .

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OP, I think this is the key. Most Americans occasionally take a nap. But few Americans over the age of five and under the age of 70 have a regular napping routine. I take a nap less than ten times per year.

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notapoliticalalt@reddit

To be honest, I think many people would benefit from more regular naps. Most people nowadays don’t get enough sleep and this obviously has impacts on behavior, mood, health, and performance. But we’ve constructed a society that largely does not allow most people to do so.

A big thing involved with this is actually geography and climate. There’s a reason many warm and hot tropical areas of the world have a mid day pause which may involve a nap or just general rest. The US has a lot of climates and our time zones and daylight length can also be a challenge. As climates continue to change, we will need to reevaluate how we work and American companies are not going to make this easy for anyone.

Anyway, unfortunately, taking naps is often considered something that is lazy, but increasingly, I think they would be beneficial for society. Not everywhere, but many places would benefit from some kind of midday pause for at least a part of the year. Just as turning on your computer and restarting can solve a lot of problems, so too can a quick nap benefit a lot of adults in terms of productivity and mood. Trying to power through is bad for everyone long term.

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shadowmib@reddit

A 20-30 minute nap in the afternoon feels like ive been resurrected

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amaria_athena@reddit

Im unfortunately the opposite. Naps make me grumpy and pissy rest of the day. I only nap if exhausted and if it’s close enough to my bedtime, turns into a long night of sleep.

Now I will agree if I can guarantee a power nap (20 minutes and not a second longer) I do feel better. But that’s nearly impossible. For me.

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SummitJunkie7@reddit

Same! At least, 20-30 minute short naps would leave me disoriented and groggy and feeling worse. I need at least an hour for it to be a good nap for me. Those don't fit into my work day unfortunately.

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sleepyj910@reddit

It's possible with an alarm.

Honestly just daydreaming with my eyes closed for 20 minutes is very refreshing.

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amaria_athena@reddit

After 20+ years I can finally meditate and do find that refreshing.

Alarm won’t work. I need 5+ to get up in the AM much to my husband’s dislike. lol

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lAngenoire@reddit

I’m always afraid of sleeping too long and throwing my schedule off. Then I’m up too late and morning comes quickly.

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Dottboy19@reddit

I take naps every weekend if I can, including Fridays after work. I love a good nap

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GreenBeanTM@reddit

Our world would also benefit immensely from accepting that some people are wired to be asleep during the day and awake during the night.

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Sykes_Jade9541@reddit

THIS! I have never been a “morning person”. I’m active more at night and have sometimes had trouble sleeping at night. But I can sleep all afternoon and be good for whatever may come. Working late night shifts always came easy as well. Realizing that would make a lot of things easier for much of the world

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filmingsirens@reddit

I took a regular nap during (f)unemployment during COVID. I was so much more productive.

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Sea_Opinion1575@reddit

Agreed! They should be normalized

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FartCartographer@reddit

I schedule a nap for every weekend. I work a standard work week, I have kids. I was a SAHM for a while and spent years doing 24/7 care. Now that they’re 10 and 7, I have decided that I get a couple hours on Saturday or Sunday to nap in peace and quiet and things are a lot better for me now.

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N3rdyAvocad0@reddit

I just can't see why taking a nap is lazy. Take an hour break to be 100% effective the last 4 hours of the day or power through and be 50% effective for the remainder of the day. I have always been one of the best employees at any job I've had and I take regular naps!

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wigglin_harry@reddit

I take a nap on my lunchbreak every day and its easily the best part of my day

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Ride4fun@reddit

If i nap during day, i won’t sleep at night. Been this way my whole life.

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paradisetossed7@reddit

I wish we were more like Spain. Start later, have a little siesta, and finish later.

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ExtraTallBoy@reddit

Anyway, unfortunately, taking naps is often considered something that is lazy

I work in industrial settings and have done a decent bit of work in Spain. The siesta there is very real and they get huge big time by non-Spanish people. It's crazy though because they get so much more work done in the same hours worked than the rest of our team when we're there. After a few projects with the same team we all see it and actually enjoy the Spanish crew returning refreshed to help boost the rest of us to the finish line.

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Working_Park4342@reddit

Trying to power through is bad for everyone long term.

Think of the shareholders!! /s

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DrugChemistry@reddit

Taking <10 naps per year sounds like a depressingly tiresome life.

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AVeryFineWhine@reddit

And other than nursing home residents, few over 70 take regular naps. Even there I always got the feeling they would push the residents to nap so workers could have quiet afternoon time. I would regularly complain as they would shut off everyone's TV, including my Aunt who was left bored as she never napped ( but by then she wasn't good with a remote).

ITA we all need an nap, on rare occasions, every few months. But short unplanned naps most often occur when watching a boring movie lol

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pippintook24@reddit

But few Americans over the age of five and under the age of 70 have a regular napping routine.

I am one of those few. I love my nap routine.

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SheriffHeckTate@reddit

I like to nap on Sunday afternoons after church if I dont have anything else going on. Im 41.

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creatyvechaos@reddit

I only nap when I feel sick. I physically can't nap any other time

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Nobelindie@reddit

The only time I had a regular nap time as an adult was cuz I worked a split shift and would literally go home and sleep before my job started again. It was generally awful for my sleep tbh. Never again

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N3rdyAvocad0@reddit

I take a nap almost every day, but I also have a disability that makes me have low energy.

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lalacourtney@reddit

The only person I ever knew with a nap schedule was my grandma, who ran her own small farm alone and NEEDED that nap and the structure (for sure undiagnosed adhd!!)

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skandranon_rashkae@reddit

I guess my kin are outliers, lol. In my industry it is incredibly common to see people napping during down time at work, mostly because when we are working, we work hard. We are stagehands, so our day can start anywhere from 4a - 8a depending on the show, finish loading in anywhere from 3p - 7p, if you're on show call you stay on site for any changeovers, then load it out starting anywhere from 10p - midnight, and usually finish packing the last truck around 3a. More fun if there ends up being a show the next day, which means a hammock nap on-site until starting the next load in.

You'd best believe we are a bunch of professional nappers.

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LongInfinite1837@reddit

I have the regular nap schedule. I take a 30 minute nap when I get home from work

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Waiting4myRuuuuca@reddit

I've always envied people who can fall asleep and wake up within 30 minutes and actually feel rested. If I take a nap and get woken up 30 minutes in, I feel worse than if I just hadn't napped at all.

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kcsews@reddit

Hey! Im a napping queen! 62 and headed for a nap now. Up at 4-5am everyday

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Plow_King@reddit

when i was working doubles, which i did for about 5 years when i ran my own bar and grill, i tried to take a nap every day. usually around the same time, so i could be awake and present for the shift change.

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steveofthejungle@reddit

I nap almost every day at 4 when I ge those from work. I’d be a grumpy sluggish man without them

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lAngenoire@reddit

In your childhood it’s expected, in your young and fun years it’s a “disco nap”, in adulthood it’s an emergency measure until retirement , and then it’s just an old people problem or privilege.

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cuentaderana@reddit

We nap when our toddler naps 😂 Gotta get in sleep when we can because he has us up by 5:30 every day.

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Weird_Squirrel_8382@reddit

I went from disco naps to "sleep when the baby sleeps" to "lemme close my eyes before preschool lets out and he comes home to resume terrorism"

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lAngenoire@reddit

And there is no negotiating with them until they hit about seven. And then it’s like arguing with a cat if your cat was a lawyer.

Godspeed.

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Peptideblonde314@reddit

I did this same progression, I am one step ahead of you at "nap on the sidelines during tee ball practice"

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Trimyr@reddit

I remember tapping that bouncy seat with my foot when my daughter was a few months old (couple decades ago), and waking up with half a bite of burger in my mouth. No one knows child rearing until you do it.

Take those breaks!

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Julesagain@reddit

Oh yes, that's another category that's encouraged to nap when they can even in the US, is young parents. Babies and toddlers are exhausting! 😁❤️

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RumbleSteelskin@reddit

I take a regular nap around 2:30 my time every weekday. It falls perfectly in my schedule where I don’t usually have meetings and before my kid gets home from school. It keeps me fresh to finish the workday strong and then perform household duties after. What about a scheduled daily nap is childish?

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effersquinn@reddit

Inherently nothing, it's just not commonly practiced here after early childhood so we just make the association, but lots of people could sure use it. Glad you're able to fit one in!

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LuLuLittlefoot@reddit

This, but anytime you talk to decent people and mention naps, a lot of them will start talking about how awesome a good nap is.

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hypo-osmotic@reddit

Yeah while it is “childish” in the sense that it’s associated with children, it isn’t especially childish in the sense that it’s something that lots of people criticize. If you have the time to regularly nap while still being a contributing member of society, that rules

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Nyther53@reddit

Yeah, 100% taking a nap will be viewed as a mistake. If you're doing it once in a blue moon, people will make jokes about not getting enough sleep the night before in a very lighthearted manner.

If you're regularly taking naps, most Americans will assume you don't have your shit together in some fashion, that you aren't in control of your situation.

That will be cause for alarm, scorn, or concern by default, depending on if that person likes you or not.

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JudgeJuryEx78@reddit

A mistake? Alarm, scorn, and concern over napping??!!!

I love my naps and I have never felt judged by anyone for taking one when I feel like it.

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lamplightas@reddit

Happens allll time. Has happened to and around me for SURE. Especially for darker skinned folks. It's a thing.

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N3rdyAvocad0@reddit

I've never had anyone think I don't have my shit together just because I nap. What a weird thing to think.

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ald9351@reddit

I’ve never heard anyone express that view. Seems everyone likes naps, but they’re too busy to do it.

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WaldenFont@reddit

Late fifties, work from home. I love my naps. Not scheduled, but whenever I need it.

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Ok_Umpire2173@reddit

Have you guys never been friends with a cop or firefighter? Especially firefighters. Even on our days off I’d say 25-50% of our total sleep is naps.

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captainnermy@reddit

Exactly, occasionally taking a nap is seen as a normal adult thing to do, especially if you have extra reasons to be tired. But having like a nap time is very much seen as a childish or old person thing, primarily because most working adults and parents don’t have the time to regularly nap.

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rainidazehaze@reddit

This is what makes Narcolepsy sooo fun to deal with

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Icy-Arm-2194@reddit

I work from home and nap on a regular basis.

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SummitJunkie7@reddit

If it is, hand me a blanket and call me a toddler! Love a nap.

No, it's not childish to take a nap. It's a bit of a luxury, perhaps, many people don't have space in their daily schedule. And (with very rare exceptions) you can't nap at work, that would be frowned on - but because it would be seen as lazy/shirking work, not because it would be seen as childish. We don't have the siesta schedule where everything closes in the afternoon and everyone has a leisurely lunch and a rest or a nap, then late night dinners. Most "regular" work schedules will have us working straight through the afternoon until about dinner time, and a nap between dinner and bedtime doesn't make much sense. But day off naps? Absolutely.

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SnowblindAlbino@reddit

People of working age generally can't nap, because we're at work from 8am-500pm with limited breaks. When I'm on vacation, I often take a nap in the afternoon for 30-45 minutes, it's great. On weekends I generally don't have time though, as we're doing stuff all day to maximize our short break from work.

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Knea_Grows@reddit

It's not considered childish. The problem is the average American works too much or too hard to be able to afford to nap

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fatloui@reddit

It’s more that we dont have the opportunity. By and large we are expected to work ~9am to 6pm, often with 30 minutes to an hour commute time on either end of that. Who naps before 8am or after 7pm?

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Picone-_-@reddit

If you're napping in the middle of the day you're classified as either lazy or jobless.

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LadyBug_0570@reddit

Naps should be normalized. Work places should have nap rooms.

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kit0000033@reddit

Be like Japan and have nap spaces under desks.

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SpecialsSchedule@reddit

Don’t they have those nap spaces because the work culture is so intense that you’re working around the clock?

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ScrimshawPie@reddit

It's more about being present and being part of the team than necessarily cranking out a ton of work. The hours are insane, but it's not always bc you have something to do. (worked for a Japanese company for a decade)

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dudelikeshismusic@reddit

I remember watching a mini doc on South Korean work culture. The TLDR: of course working more hours means that each hour is less efficient. The long hours are purely ceremonial.

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shelwood46@reddit

I dated a guy in the trades who claimed he worked 18 hours a day every day (he owned his own business). I went with him one day for work, and that man actually worked maybe 5 hours a day, tops, the rest was spent shooting the shit with his friends and hanging out. I suddenly understood why his business wasn't doing that great.

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misshopeful0L@reddit

That sounds even worse

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Julesagain@reddit

Yes, occasionally being at work for long hours to meet a deadline is common in my industry, but the upside is being off when things are slow. Being required to sit around with nothing to do would be infuriating to me.

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psychologicallyblue@reddit

I would be really unhappy with that. I like to get my work done as efficiently as possible and leave work so I can do other things.

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afternoondlight@reddit

My work place used to have a nap room but two people got busted fucking in there so now there is no longer a nap room.

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Moist_Ordinary6457@reddit

I've seen couches in multiple workplaces get removed for the same reason

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Questions_Remain@reddit

So now it’s the fuckery.

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rednax1206@reddit

No, no... it's the plap room.

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itmightbehere@reddit

We had chairs and couches that people would nap on in our main walkway, then someone brought in bedbugs :(

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LadyBug_0570@reddit

Some people just got to ruin things for everyone.

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ancientastronaut2@reddit

That's what she said.

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timbotheny26@reddit

PaoloFromTokyo did a Day in the Life vid with a game dev at I think Square Enix and they had nap rooms.

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ImmediateAd7069@reddit

I worked at a health sciences university that had a meditation room. Dimmable lights and controllable heat. You can bet we napped.

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dubsac5150@reddit

Your flair says you're from Oregon, and you worked at a Health Sciences University? In Oregon? An Oregon Health Sciences University? I wonder what they call that place?
/s

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Objective_Prune_748@reddit

Naps should be normalized.

Tell that to my wife.

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bass679@reddit

I used to work with a dude who'd go take a catnap in his car over his lunch break every day. I thought it was really weird when I was younger but now I think, "ohh man that was a nicely rested dude."

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fancifulsnails@reddit

I did this a few times on my lunch break, when I worked at a dahlia farm. On a very sketchy futon in a dilapidated farm house. Hey - when you're tired, anything will do!

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psychologicallyblue@reddit

I would much rather just finish my work and go home early though.

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SeaDawgs@reddit

I worked at a tech company that had nap rooms. I just assumed it was to encourage 16-hour days.

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Narrow-Durian4837@reddit

Agreed. I don't think it's generally considered strange for an adult to take a nap on a weekend or holiday, but on a workday, the average American adult has no time or place to take a nap.

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shoulda-known-better@reddit

I prefer to sleep twice and routinely do in the summers when days get longer 3hrs in the afternoon and 4ish midnight /early morning.....

Feels amazing I hardly get tired.... And skipping one for some reason isn't the end of the world it's way easier to get through than missing a whole night sleep

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NonMaga@reddit

Search biphasal and multiphasal sleep. There are scientists the believe were meant to do this. In early America, it was normal for people to go to sleep at dark, wake up in the middle of the night and read or sew or have sex for a few hours, then sleep again until morning. I did it during COVID and it really suited me.

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LilPoobles@reddit

I read somewhere that when electric lights are removed from a person’s environment, people naturally go back to this sleep cycle.

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awake-lettuce0823@reddit

lived in the woods for two months and can confirm this was the case for me. sleep ehen the dark blinded me until just befofe dawn, then a nice two or three hour nap in the shade around noon.

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StormySands@reddit

I used to do this when I worked 10-7 and had a short commute. I would go home and be in bed by 8pm, wake up at 12am, do chores and chill until 4am, go back to sleep and wake up at 8am. It was amazing because I’m usually exhausted when I get home from work and am barely functional. Sleeping for four hours helped me recover enough to be way able to get way more done and still have time to enjoy myself for a little while.

Also I didn’t need alarm clocks during this period, this was just the natural rhythm I fell into when I had that schedule.

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Medium_Sized_Brow@reddit

Do you have a job that let's you just leave for 3 hours a day to nap though?

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N3rdyAvocad0@reddit

You need 3 hours to nap?

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shoulda-known-better@reddit

Most times I can now, I am a contractor... But it has had to be put on hold more than a few times because of work before I got to where I am..... Some jobs I've had it wasn't always possible

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Zaidswith@reddit

Used to be common. My great-grandfather did a lot of laborer work, a lot of roofing back in the 20s and 30s. They'd start early in the day, break for lunch, have the afternoon hours to themselves, and go back to work in the evening. This meant they weren't out during the hottest part of the day and it allowed them to take a midday nap.

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Suitable_Zone_6322@reddit

I usually take a mid-day nap at work.

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RemarkableBread9664@reddit

Uncommon in America but in Europe it seemed common enough to take notice

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Eskimodo_Dragon@reddit

I nap during my lunch break and eat while I'm working. It's like adding time to my life. We have an entire floor in our building that's empty. I bought an outdoor, lightweight recliner chair that u'd bring to a picnic or have by the pool so I threw it in one of the empty offices where I am right now getting ready to Zzzzzzz.

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jda404@reddit

Yeah, I don't nap during the work week, but some times I do take a nap on the weekend. I usually never intend to, but sometimes when I am having a lazy Saturday/Sunday at home I'll put on a show or movie in the afternoon lay on the couch to watch it and end up falling asleep.

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Left-Star2240@reddit

The main thing I miss about college is the opportunity to nap. If possible I used to schedule my classes to allow for a nap.

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Tylerdurdenps5@reddit (OP)

I think the biggest factor is probably the climate and work schedule. In my country, many people start work around 7 a.m. and finish around 2 p.m. By then, it’s usually the hottest part of the day, so a lot of people just stay home for a while before going out later.

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WinstonWilmerBee@reddit

Do you get a meal break in there?

Most full-time jobs in the US require 7.75-8.5 hours worked, with a 20-45 minute meal break. A 7am start point means I’m off at 3:15pm at the earliest, and I took an unpaid 30 minute lunch. 8 hours and 15 minutes on-site, 7 hours and 45 minutes paid.

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Impossible_Fall_3188@reddit

I work 7am to 6pm before I finish for the day in the US. A lot of people will have a similar schedule between commute or just working 2 jobs or working a split shift with normally going to class in between them. We dont have time to nap and if we do have a couple hours off in the middle of the day if we nap ots normally a sign of illness or due to a medical condition.

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IconoclastExplosive@reddit

I come from a part of the US where it gets to about 115°f (about 41°c) regularly in the summer. It's still expected that you stay and work all day, especially if you work indoors. Starting at 7am and working until 2pm isn't even considered full time work here.

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agent2187@reddit

If you start work in the US at 7am, you'd need to work until 4pm for a full time job. Then you have the commute, get home and start making dinner, etc... There's just not time for nap anywhere in the day.

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WordsLessThanNumbers@reddit

In Arizona (the hottest state in the US), outdoor workers keep a similar schedule in the summer. They might start at 6:30am, but can't stay outside much after 1 or 2pm.

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Aggressive-Bit-2335@reddit

My husband is in construction in Phoenix. A lot of times in the summer, they start with an hour early, so they can leave an hour early. They also start by 5:00am usually, so an hour early could easily be 4am.

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IntenseCedar@reddit

7am-2pm isn't considered full-time work in most of the US. A lot of us also start work at 7am, but the standard ending time is either 3:30 or 4 p.m. (depending on how long your lunch break is).

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notaskindoctor@reddit

In the US, most people work 8-5ish, school for kids is 8-3ish, and kids who are still in daycare or after school programs need to be picked up by 5-5:30 pm. Most of us would not have time available to nap even if we worked 7-2 (very uncommon and not long enough to be considered full time for most jobs).

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Sandwichinparadise@reddit

My partner works from home and builds a nap into his day- I think he would have a really hard time with an office job.

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Away-Living5278@reddit

Same. I often do too. I have (most likely) an autoimmune disorder that causes pain, fatigue, etc. It's great when I need 30 minutes to just be able to crash and get back up.

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Flerp-Flerps@reddit

This is one thing that really frustrates me about RTO policies. I have an autoimmune disorder and having a midday nap greatly helps my productivity and helps manage my disability. It should be a reasonable accommodation for positions that can be done remotely to work from home to be able to take a nap on my lunch break, but many employers do not see it that way. I have tried to take a nap in my car on lunch, but I can’t seem to be able to fall asleep. There’s no room to take a nap in the office.

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Away-Living5278@reddit

Yeah, I'm on a reasonable accommodation otherwise I'd be in the office 40/wk and taking off a ton.

I had a coworker in a wheelchair who used to sleep in the office on her lunch but idk how she did it. I could never get relaxed or comfortable enough in my cubical or car (plus the time to walk there and back).

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Tasty-Yogurtcloset28@reddit

Sometimes you do just need to power down-power up

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RickLovin1@reddit

I split time between in-office and at home. But when I'm at home, I eat lunch a little early while working, then take a nap on my actual break. I miss them when I'm stuck in the office lol

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Aggressive_FIamingo@reddit

I do the same thing. All my clients know if you contact me between 9 and 6 and I don't answer right away, that means it's nap time.

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jiminak@reddit

My 1hr lunch break is 20 minutes eating, and 40 minutes in my car, with about a 30 minute nap. Same time, every day. So, I guess I have a scheduled nap time. I’ve been doing this for nearly 35 years, whenever possible. Conferences and other work-travel really interferes with my nap schedule. lol

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samanime@reddit

Me! And then I screw up my sleep schedule for two weeks because I can't take a "nap" shorter than 4 hours. =p

But yeah, your statement is accurate.

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alicat777777@reddit

Yes, I agree with this. Not so common because of time. Even on weekends, so much to do and not much time for naps.

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weeponxing@reddit

If I could I would take a nap every day. I love naps.

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cisforcookie2112@reddit

This is it. American work culture does not allow for naps.

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coffeecircus@reddit

I used to nap in my car, when I was in retail, many years ago. The work is exhausting, and you sometimes would rather close your eyes than eat lunch

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SqueakyRat1982@reddit

I do! I have always taken a snooze on my lunch break. I wake up after 20 minutes and feel a ton better, even when I worked in the office, I’d nap in my car.

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lAngenoire@reddit

We have a coworker who used to do that. Then one afternoon no one could find him and we were trying to cover his class while we figured out where he was without having to call the boss.

He was asleep in his car after lunch. His parking was off campus. And that’s why we all have his phone number now.

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FlyByPC@reddit

we were trying to cover his class while we figured out where he was without having to call the boss

You all are good colleagues.

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AbbreviationsTop4959@reddit

Agreed. I know very few adults who don't wish they could take a nap. We're just told by society that our productivity is our value. Most jobs don't allow the time for naps, and even the people with more flexibility often don't have the time, or think they don't.

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BrumblebeeArt@reddit

This ^ it's the hyper-capitalist work culture that accounts for a lot of major differences in lifestyle here in the US vs lots of other places

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Antique_Character215@reddit

They’re making a comeback I think

But it was never something I saw any adults do growing up. Only babies

I love a good nap now tho

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periloustrail@reddit

I’m a pro quick 10-15 minute napper during the day. Totally helps

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Mental_Table_9265@reddit

American culture loves to tell people what they should be doing. I work Wednesday-Saturday, so I usually take a nap on Monday afternoon before picking my daughter up from school. It’s nice.

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cactuscoleslaw@reddit

Yes unless you're Spanish

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NickiTikkiTavi@reddit

It’s considered a luxury

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finnoulafire@reddit

Naps are not looked down on. But the work culture / school culture in the US does not allow naps the same way the work culture in some other countries do. If you need to wake up 6 AM, deliver children to school at 7:30 AM, work from 8-5 PM, pickup children from school or afterschool, (driving or transit to/from each place takes 30-60 minutes), eat dinner, clean, etc….when is a nap going to happen?

Another factor is the daylight and temperature. In winter in northern US, daylight is only 9:00-16:00. So a nap in the afternoon would cost you daylight and time outside the home. Whereas in hot sunny climates like the middle east, it is too hot and sunny to be outside anyways. And the evening time is more comfortable to be awake and do activities. The US associates afternoon naps called siestas with hot sunny places such as Spain, the middle east, Mexico, the caribbean etc.

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jaker9319@reddit

In winter in northern US, daylight is only 9:00-16:00. So a nap in the afternoon would cost you daylight and time outside the home.

I was thinking this too.

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Visual_Magician_7009@reddit

I don’t think so nowadays bc of AC. My mom growing up in Texas had nap or rest time during the afternoon where my grandmother would also rest bc it was so hot. Nowadays we just stay in our climate controlled homes.

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KittiesRule1968@reddit

Hell no. Naps are important for everyone

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Lemon_Poppies@reddit

We don’t have time to take naps. We work 8-10 hour days, drive half an hour to and from work, get home and do all of those things.

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Available-Egg-2380@reddit

You can pry my 1pm Saturday nap from my cold dead fingers! Naps are amazing!

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Mike312@reddit

At one old job I was required to take an hour-long lunch.

I was the only employee in the office most days, so I got in the habit of napping on my lunch break and it was quite refreshing to take a quick 20 or 30 minute nap.

A few years later I transferred to another job, where I wasn't the only employee and was in a shared break room. The 2nd day I took a nap I found out some lady from accounting went to complain to HR.

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jeanbees@reddit

I think we have some kind of Calvinist ideas that napping is lazy. Americans have a pretty unhealthy relationship to work imo.

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rawtomatoesaregross@reddit

If someone tried to tell me I was childish for napping, I wouldn't listen.

Or hear them. Because I was probably napping.

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MooCowQueen-16@reddit

I would take a nap everyday if I could but I can’t lol

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apcb4@reddit

I think more adults would view it as a luxury than something childish. Many adults dream of being able to take a nap but their schedules don’t allow it. It might be viewed as lazy, but I think most people would be jealous.

Americans also frequently start work early, but we rarely ever have a break in the afternoon. 30-60 minutes for lunch (typically unpaid) and unless you work from home, commutes don’t really allow you to come home to nap.

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Abject-Sky4608@reddit

Let’s put it this way - the only time I can get away with napping is if I’m sick. On those days I’ll say I’m working from home, sleep as needed, and then catch up on the hours I slept when I’m feeling better. Saves a sick day and I won’t be dinged for not being reliable.

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Radiant_Music3698@reddit

Its funny. Being told to take a nap is infantalizing. But doing it of your own volition is old man shit.

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Silkies4life@reddit

Shit no. I make time for a siesta once a week

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ItBeRyou@reddit

Nah. Ever since I started working from home, I usually take an hour nap on my lunch break.

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Dazzling-Climate-318@reddit

Naps interfere with working, so are a luxury most Americans can’t afford.

And if you do have employment in which naps can occur and make sense, typically it’s because you work rotating shifts or perhaps two different part time jobs with a break between them, in either case it h typically means you are in financial difficulty and so there is an association between hard times and taking naps. Many a parent in the U.S. has had to work second or third shift work and has resorted to mid day naps so they are awake at least part of the day to interact with their children and that pattern neither provides good sleep or good family time. This especially occurs when parents work opposite shifts as a way to avoid paid child care.

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bloobityblu@reddit

I nap if I'm tired; I think the main difference is between it being a random thing and being part of a planned daily routine.

I DO think there's still a bit of a holdover from the more Puritan ideals ingrained in American society that work is godly and idleness is "the devil's playground"; in other words, if you're not doing something active, you're on the road to hell, literally. We don't realize how much that ridiculous idea permeated our society. It's getting better, but yeah there's still an idea that resting is suspicious or lazy or something. Instead of just being reasonable and giving your body a rest when it needs one.

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WalnutTree80@reddit

We don't typically have a regular nap time, except maybe retired people, but I often nap for an hour on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

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FionaOlwen@reddit

I think it’s seen as an indulgence as many adults don’t have the time to take them. I love a good nap! When I work early in the morning I often don’t get enough sleep and will nap after work (and walking my dog).

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wifespissed@reddit

I don't really have the time during the day to take a nap.

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NefariousnessKey5365@reddit

I'm an American and I love naps

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TrustMe_ImTheDogtor@reddit

I nap essentially every day for at least 90 minutes between noon and 3pm. There’s really nothing I can do about it, I worked nights for years and still have issues getting to sleep some nights and I’m up between 2am and 6am every single day no matter what with no alarm or anything - even if I didn’t fall asleep until after midnight.

I get SO MUCH SHIT from people about it but to me it’s exactly like them sleeping 8+ hours overnight, I just split mine up into two time periods.

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supermuncher60@reddit

A lot of people who have full time office jobs are expected to work regular office hours such as 8am to 5pm with only like 30 minutes for lunch in the middle. Your not going to be able to nap.

Similar to most shift work in the US, your expected to work a set block of hours with 30 minutes for lunch and maybe a 15 minute break depending on company policy.

It's just not part of the culture to have a nap everyday.

On the weekends, I think most people can appreciate an afternoon nap however.

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thisunrest@reddit

To be honest, as an American, I wish a nap time was considered culturally normal for adult adults during the workday.

The US is still a very young culture, and we have much to learn about how to live effectively.

I think accepting that we are not work. Machines would be a good start.

This is my opinion, and is not necessarily reflective of AmericanS as a whole.

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Konradleijon@reddit

It definitely is

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Fun-Yellow-6576@reddit

Well, most of the adults are working so naps aren’t really a thing here. Now, if you work a second or overnight shift you might have to stay up and deal with small children you might nap when they do.

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largos7289@reddit

Unfortunately yes, naps are seen as for kids or the elderly... I personally would love for a 2-3 siesta. Again thou being American, it's work work work.

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irongold-strawhat@reddit

What do you consider very early?

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DJPaige01@reddit

When my mother was in he 80s, she would nap for a few minutes while watching Family Feud.

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GoodDoctorZ@reddit

I take naps as an adult to make up for the ones I refused to take as a kid. Thing is, I don’t know how many I refused to take so I have to keep taking them.

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arizonabatorechestra@reddit

Naps aren't a big part of American culture in general, but almost everyone with little kids up to 6 years old or so will lay them down for naps. Obviously, American's do take naps, but it's just not a cultural thing. If anything, the culture doesn't allow room for napping, which I'd argue the vast majority of us hate.

I personally don't nap ever, no matter how tired I am, because my mom was addicted to prescription pills that made her be asleep for 95% of my childhood and adolescence. Now, as a mom myself, I never want to be napping or sleeping during the day in front of my daughter, and if I do start to nap, I immediately freak out and get up and try to find something to do to keep me busy.

My life expectancy is probably like ... 50 or something.

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Puzzleheaded-Ad7606@reddit

Please work on these issues now with a therapist.

Perimenopause will come sooner and harder than you realize, and naps will be an essential part of survival and even thriving. Beyond that sometimes illness, injuries, or grief can require we give our bodies and brain extra time to recharge. It's important to model that for your kids.

I can completely relate because my mom had a pain pill addiction. When we live our lives afraid of normal healthy things their addiction still has a hold on us.

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Tasty-Yogurtcloset28@reddit

This doesn't sound healthy. You could model good resting habits for your daughter with the occasional nap

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arizonabatorechestra@reddit

My daughter is 14 and still LOVES naps. And the one time she caught me napping on the couch, she walked by, patted my head, and said "Mom, I'm so proud of you." 😂

I've also been upfront with her about my family. She never really knew my parents but she is very aware that if Mom ever seems like she's struggling, it's not my daughter's fault or responsibility. I've gone to therapy most of her life and take my meds and all that and she's aware, and I've taught her a lot about advocating for herself as well. She's a rad kid and I'm very proud of how she takes care of herself and the direction she's heading in life.

All that to say — no, my inability to nap is absolutely not healthy. I am in survival mode but we're doing what we gotta do. ❤️

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WinstonWilmerBee@reddit

I think the lesson of “I have an issue because of my past experiences, but it doesn’t have to be YOUR issue” is a good lesson to pass onto your kid. Modeling how someone can have a struggle, be working on it, and not use to harm others.

So if your daughter dates someone who is cruel to her, and blames it on history/trauma/etc, your daughter has the experience to say, “actually, I know for a fact that having baggage doesn’t give you the right to make me miserable, so I won’t tolerate this.”

Parenting is about imperfect people giving their kids all the tools to exist in an imperfect world.

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calcarius_@reddit

I nap every damn day. I don't care if it's considered childish.

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DrBlankslate@reddit

In the West, napping is something children and old people do. Taking a "siesta" is unheard of here. If you need a nap, you're not productive (and if you're not productive, you're socially worthless).

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diversalarums@reddit

Just curious: do most people in your area have air conditioning? I don't know how hot it gets in the afternoons there, but I was always told that many cultures with hot climates nap in the afternoons because of the heat and work early and late because those times are cooler. That's probably a myth but I did wonder. Where I live in the US it's very hot from beginning May until early October. But virtually everyone in my area has AC so afternoon heat isn't an issue, at least for thosewho work indoors.

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West_Consequence8145@reddit

I regularly have a 30 min nap after supper. I'm 50 and been doing it for decades.

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1234five6789ten1112@reddit

Yes

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GoddessOfOddness@reddit

We aren’t Nappers. When we are sick, or maybe a lazy weekend. But daily? Some do it, but it’s considered rare.

President Reagan got a lot of flack for having an afternoon scheduled.

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Having_A_Day@reddit

I'm in the US, and here it really depends. Some people consider naps to be only for the very young and very old, otherwise it's seen as laziness. Others are fine with adults grabbing a nap.

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elizabethandsnek@reddit

I nap regularly bc of chronic illness fatigue, never thought to consider how others thought about it lol

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Nokirkburke@reddit

I take a nap every day and I definitely get some side eyes when friends find out. Especially if we’re on a trip. Kinda a, “why would you waste your time sleeping!?” I’m not going to stop an activity to nap, but if we’re all just hanging out at a house? Yup. Nap time!

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in_jail_out_Friday@reddit

Sleeping is my favorite past time.

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Having_A_Day@reddit

I have a chronic illness that can make everyday activities difficult and really tiring. Even with that, some people in my life don't understand why I nap occasionally. It's a mindset of the harder you push yourself the better off you'll be, but especially in my case that's 100% not true!

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MyNameIsNot_Molly@reddit

That Protestant work ethic runs deep. To a lot of people in the US, if you aren't hustling around the clock, you're lazy.

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Having_A_Day@reddit

Yes. Gotta be hauling on those bootstrap 24/7!

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Uglyjeffg0rd0n@reddit

Dude I take a nap every damn day. I’m 33, I work in the trades. Usually people act like it’s a crazy thing to do but I’ve been turning a ton of people on to the notion. Im up at 430AM and then I’m just in the heat until like 330PM. I get home around 4, clean up, and lay on the couch or porch hammock and snooze for an hour until it’s time to help with dinner. If I don’t take that nap I’m gonna be passed out by 7. If I worked a 9-5 I probably wouldn’t nap because that’s just awkward time imo. And I can see how people with young children would not nap. But everyone else should.

Personally, my dream is just work 6-noon and then take a two hour break, come back and work until 4. But nobody is biting on that yet.

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next_chapter_ashore@reddit

A lot of house holds DO consider napping childish or for elderly.

However. Many adults (who needs the naps) don't care. I don't care. I'm sleepyyyy.

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ombremullet@reddit

I'd nap more often but I always wake up feeling hungover instead of refreshed.

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next_chapter_ashore@reddit

Yes, same. The nap has to be Perfectly Timed™️ or the Hatman curses you.

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WinstonWilmerBee@reddit

Mid-afternoon nap with sleep paralysis is adding insult to injury. I was already tired and not doing great, now I’m tired and my entire nervous system is going off like I just got chased by a tiger

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NAteisco@reddit

If you are rich it is considered wise and healthy to nap.

If you are part of the working class it is considered lazy and weak.

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Low_Refrigerator4891@reddit

At best, it's considered indulgent for adults to take naps. The assumption is adults are at work during the day, so there's not really an opportunity to take a nap.

I am American but worked on China for several years. Everyday, after lunch. Most employees would pull a cot out and take a nap. This was such a bizarre thing to my fellow expats. Falling asleep at your desk would be a fireable offense in the US in most offices.

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notapoliticalalt@reddit

Honestly, many Americans are very underrested and I would attribute this to many of the problems we have as a society. Between a general antisocial attitude that has been rising and all kinds of health issues and beyond, many Americans could probably benefit from a nap. Many Americans think napping would make them “soft” so they power through and let health issues accumulate, lessen their mental clarity for the second half of the day, drive both distracted and tired, and so on. But this is bad for so many reasons.

I think this kind of thing will become very important as the climate changes and many places get very hot. There’s a reason cultures in hot areas around the world take midday breaks and potentially nap. We can fight it or we can do the sensible thing and work with our bodies instead of being worried about looking too soft.

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WinstonWilmerBee@reddit

The workday used to be 12-16 hours. It took decades of protesting, striking, and even rioting to get the 40 hour workweek. And a lot of the reformers and union leaders were murdered while doing so. Both by private companies and by agents of the state.

If we want to have basic naps, a lot of people are going to have to die fighting for it.

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ClickClick_Boom@reddit

A nap ruins my entire day and throws off my sleep schedule, IDK how people do it.

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lamplightas@reddit

I'd argue that those who can't nap under 4 hours are actually underrested. If your body can't take just 30 minutes of sleep but wants a whole 3-4 hours, it's trying to make up a deficit. The brain is cranky because it wants to finish a whole sleep cycle AND get deep sleep in. And the deficit is trained from nosy childhood when toddlers drop naps, but then sleep the whole night through. Teenagers naturally shift their sleep times to wake and sleep later, but in the USA, it's rare that we make scheduling allowances for it. I'm still bitter that my 6-year college prep magnet high school started at 7:15AM, after being bussed in from all over the county. Add the good old Protestant work ethic background, agricultural calendars and history ( 3-month summer break, anyone?), and adults are conditioned to think they can't nap because it makes them lazy, grumpy, or both.

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Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit

To be honest some of us are just exhausted and the nap isn't totally voluntary. I could just fall asleep in my chair or I can lay down for a nap.

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kirbyderwood@reddit

Not for me. A 20-30 minute nap refreshes my brain for the afternoon.

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FMLwtfDoID@reddit

Check out “sleep inertia”! I could never figure out why a mid day nap made me more tired and irritable. But it’s a real thing and mainly why I avoid taking naps, even if I’m tired and have the spare time, unless I’m ill.

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tacobellgittcard@reddit

It makes me nauseous for the rest of the day

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ADFnGee@reddit

Me too, and when my husband naps and I don't it also ruins my day because I just have to pause everything and then my night is also trash because he can't sleep therefore I can't sleep unless I find a couch. He's not laboring or working extreme hours, so it is highly annoying to me.

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Soggy_Ground_9323@reddit

power nap is essential..

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loveanddonuts@reddit

My husband WFH and he has daily “meetings” with our dog around 3 or 4 every day.

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WinstonWilmerBee@reddit

The unspoken cultural understanding is that naps are for those who lack self-control. Hence children, the elderly, and the sick are excused because we allow them such weakness.

The standard American corporate schedule makes napping nonsensical. We work from 8-4:15, with a 30 minute lunch. Once you go home you have a short window to get home, start dinner, and manage household chores. We go to bed around 10pm to be up by 6-7am.

In our work-ethos, the only reason we sleep is because we biologically are required to. Pissing away your precious 5-6 hours of personal time a day with sleeping is a waste.

Phrases like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” and “there’s time for sleep in hell” are both joking and serious. There’s a reason why we consume so much caffeine. We don’t like sleeping.

Honestly I love sleeping but also fucking hate it. If I could take a magic potion so I was perfectly healthy without ever wasting my life pretending to be dead, I would.

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Odious_Funk_812@reddit

Fuck no!

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melrosec07@reddit

I work afternoons so if I’m tired mid morning I’m gonna take a nap 🤷‍♀️

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catincombatboots@reddit

No, its not considered childish to nap. We know most people are working more than 40 hours a week, more like 60+ and don't get many days off, and especially if they have kids, are chronically exhausted. Do most people have time for a nap, no. But is it frowned upon, also no.

I'm terrible at napping, but my husband can sleep anywhere and usually takes a nap on his lunch break.

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Thin-Quiet-2283@reddit

Lived in Spain, siesta was such a great idea. But they also went back to work until 7pm or so .

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SadProduce6456@reddit

I don’t sleep well. Starting 45, I pretty much take a daily nap. I don’t care what anybody thinks about it.

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Independent_Tone5965@reddit

There is literally a subset of people who think sleep is a weakness and simultaneously complain of insomnia and they'll "sleep when they're dead." I'm sure that those people do think that naps are for babies.

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Most_Quality_1987@reddit

One of my ex's reasons for wanting a divorce [that had nothing to do with the woman he decided he'd rather be with] was that I take naps, whenever possible.

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green-eggs-with-spam@reddit

No time for napping! Get to work!!!

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Pale_Space_4144@reddit

I like to party. If by "party" you mean "nap".

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lamplightas@reddit

Yes, and it's unfortunate. People here in the USA do not accept scheduled or regular napping from adults on a general level. It's not something that would be accepted for a businessperson to say or do, for example. It gets to the point where the time one might nap during the midday is considered a good time to run errands and make phone calls. I regularly have to ignore cold calls and continuing business calls from 12n-2pm ( I do this because I work night shifts and sleep during the day, but the pattern stands). In place where the weather gets unbearably hot during the day, it's a bit more acceptable and built into the culture, but that's not the majority of the population. I learned when I was a kid in Spain that a different way is possible, and so I happily make allowances for anyone to be resting during the day. And I love the more recent movement away from constant productivity as an ADOS. (#NapMinistry)

glad someone asked! Make napping normal again!

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Alternative_Draw_544@reddit

We take regular naps. What do I care if people think it's weird?

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cybertruckboat@reddit

Kinda yes. I take a nap every day. Duck what everyone else thinks.

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DharmaDama@reddit

It's funny because Americans probably don't get enough sleep. They need more naps.

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Are_You_Knitting_Me@reddit

Speaking as someone American (non-Arab) married to an Arab who loves naps, I don't necessarily find it childish but I do find it frustrating and I think a tinge of irresponsible. We have a toddler and we eat dnner around 6 so she can eat and go to bed so we can all go to work/daycare in the morning (leave around 7:30am). He sleeps in until 10, doesn't see us, then works all day and then at 6 right after we eat dinner he is so tired he needs a nap - like wait you can't make it more than 8 hours? and then he wakes up and then wants to stay up until 2am. And he spends so much of his time sleeping and from my perspective it's like if he were just on a schedule maybe he could be doing a masters or just in general not leaving me alone with our child. Whenever i try to talk to him though it genuinely flabbergasts him that I suggest planning sleep in advance. So I think it's that attitude that feels childish or like old/helpless to me, not necessarily the sleeping. It's the refusing to prioritize responsibilities over a nap. We are ALL tired, get your shit done.

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Beelzebunions@reddit

Americans have been conditioned to work work work work work, so a nap is seen as being lazy, unless you're a baby, child, disabled, or elderly.

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bigfoot17@reddit

I love my biphasic sleep routine

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MaximumPlant@reddit

Occasional napping is normal

If someone has scheduled naps and is not elderly or a child I'd assume they either can't get enough sleep at night or have some kind of health issue.

I hate naps personally, I've heard over and over "you're sleeping too long/not enough" but whether its 20 minutes or 2 hours I am always more tired than before.

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Yoko_Kittytrain@reddit

It's one of the two reasons we're so cranky here in the good old USA. We need a nap or a hug or both- we're not getting either of them.

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2PlasticLobsters@reddit

IDK if they'd consider naps childish or lazy, but too many Americans buy into the hustle/grind culture. You're supposed to be productive 24/7/365! IDK if it's supposed to be to accumulate money, climb the corporate ladder, or some combination. I never bought into it myself.

I suspect it's a modern equivalent of the Puritan work ethic. Idle hands are the devil's workshop! I've known quite a few people who were raised this way. If their parents found them relaxing or playing, they'd get berated & assigned some chore. Some of them internalized the mentality & feel compelled to always be doing something useful.

That's not our whole society, of course. But it only takes a large segment to engage in something for it to spread into the general culture.

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Sarahpants320@reddit

I love naps

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SolOberlindes_2564@reddit

I started taking naps again when I turned 40. One of my best lifestyle/fitness/wellness decisions ever.

Do people think that’s childish? What do I care what they think?

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Footnotegirl1@reddit

It isn't considered childish. An adult who gets to take a nap is considered LUCKY. In America it is assumed that no adult has the time to take a nap, no matter how much they might want one.

To paraphrase the comedienne Paula Poundstone, the dividing line between child and adult is that a child has to take a nap and does not want one, and an adult desperately wants to take a nap, but cannot have one.

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Shirleysspirits@reddit

You sleep when you die!

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SparklePantz22@reddit

I am middle-aged, and i take a nap almost daily. Even if i don't nap, I enjoy resting for an hour or so in the afternoon. I'll even take naps on vacations and weekends. I love napping.

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floopdyboop@reddit

I’ll nap on weekends and some days when I get home from work extra tired. When I’m on a chill vacation i nap every day. It’s probably due to the American hustle culture that paints rest as shameful that you get that impression

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scr33ner@reddit

I don’t think westerners consider taking naps as childish. Others consider it lazy rather than childish.

I’m a westerner, I can understand adults napping in the Gulf region of the ME. I’d be doing the same thing in the hot afternoon heat.

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Natural-Research6928@reddit

It comes from ancient times culture, in very hot climates people usually work early in the morning, then from noon til later in the afternoon take a siesta, then do more stuff late afternoon and evening. It's to avoid being active and getting heatstroke during the hottest time of the day.