People in Spain have been practicing siestas for hundreds of years. The world siesta comes from the Latin word sexta, which means "the sixth hour" (around the middle of the day). Today, not everyone in Spain takes a siesta, especially in bigger cities like Madrid because life there is busy, and it can be hard to find time to rest. However, even though not everyone in Spain takes a siesta any more, it is still an important cultural tradition.
Nowadays, siesta is not as important as it was years ago because people work differently. In the past, many people worked outside in the fields as farmers. It was too hot to work during the middle of the day, so they would go home, eat lunch and rest. Later in the day, when it became cooler, they would return to work. At first, siesta started as a way for workers to protect themselves from the summer heat, but over time it became a daily tradition in many communities.
In the past, people took siestas to protect themselves from the strong afternoon sun and in order to work more effectively. Resting during the hottest part of the day helped protect them from the summer heat.
