How would American society respond to the introduction of a nationwide mandatory rest period at midday?

I want a nap too.

But I don’t want it to be government mandated.

There would be protests with signs. I’d rather get the work day over with.

Nap time! Yay! Personally, I don’t need anyone to tell me to take naps.

Naps happen.

I think it could be good for health if it was a half hour, which would kind of negate it because then you would have to have siesta in the workplace.

So I think it would be misused.

Yes please

I’ve often drempt of this… pun intended and I think it would be great, but it seems to clash with the American ideals of bigger more faster stronger etc. We maximize profit at the expense of our humanity. I just don’t see the siesta happening large scale.

Nothing should be mandatory. If anything the government could require employers to provide the option. I don’t like to take naps in the middle of the day. It makes me feel sick. I’d want to use the time to exercise. Could we also have a two hour lunch so I don’t have to rush?

I’m all for taking a nap (I try to take one whenever I can), but I think taking one and then having to go back to work for a few more hours would be torture. I’d much rather work a six hour day, come home, and then nap. I think that setup would be fantastic.

Time to put on some Sigur Ros and take a nap right now.

I would be all for it

Yes – I vote for the 6 hr day!!

Seems inconvenient.
I’m not sure about the rest of the US, but San Diego tends to be very commutey. People almost always tend to live 30+ minutes from their place of work around here.
But imagine everyone leaving work at the same time to go home for a siesta. You’d see that 30 minute commute turn into 2 hours. Not worth an hour of nap.

Unless the plan is to have beds at the place of work, specifically for these siestas?

I just don’t think it’ll be a hit at all, but rather, a miss.

I think it should just be everyone’s personal policy to take an hour nap after they get home from work, to be refreshed for whatever personal events they’ll be doing that evening.

I have a couch in my office. When my door is closed. Don’t wake me.

That would be un-american to have to be forced to take a nap everyday at mid day. Even though I think it would be awesome to be allowed to take a nap. I don’t want to be forced to though

Would I be paid for it? Would we have a snack time and recess, too?

Most people would be accepting, a small group would protest due to governmental/power reasons, another small group would protest due to productivity concerns, and an even smaller group (all workaholics) would keep working, knowingly breaking the law.

Before I retired I had a great hiding spot for my noon nap, I suspect a mandated rest interval would be unpaid, so I wouldn’t be in favor of a law. Better to put it to the man.

I saw an episode of Seinfeld last night where George Castanza had his desk (under) converted into a sleeping quarter . . . funny as hell when his boss George Steinbrenner went looking for him and decided to wait for him in his office.

I take my naps as needed, I close my office door, turn off the lights and put the phone ringer to mute. 20–30 min nap gets me through the rest of the day and into the evening agendas.

I would hope Americans would ignore such a mandate.

Let me sleep on it and get back to you.

Forget the noontime siestas, I think that the work week be should be shortened to 28 hours in a 4 day week! I don’t think anyone should work more that 7 hours per day. 6 ideally! lol

All American workers are already paying too much for people who find reasons to not produce anything. Why make it worse?

You mean a siesta. Hahahahahahaha…Never happen!

Works for me…I have a great balance, all it takes is a desire to actually live your life for yourself and not the mandates of an overworked society. Simplicity…people before things and time before money. Most are too afraid to find a way to emancipate themselves from oppressive work enviroments. Sad.

We already have mandatory work schedules, workers must be allowed a 10 – 15 minute break after every two hours of work, and at least 30 minute break every four hours. Overtime must be paid for anything over 8 hours in a day, or 40 hours in a week.

To expand the afternoon work break from 10 minutes to one hour would change very little. If the time was required to be a nap or rest, then sufficient space would have to provided for each person to use, and it would have to be included in the 8 hour of paid work time.

Mandatory enslavement!