Hundreds in Mexico City stretch out for a ‘mass nap’ to commemorate World Sleep Day
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hundreds of Mexicans on Friday could be seen sprawled out on the ground at the base of the city’s iconic Monument to the Revolution to take a nap. Dubbed the “mass siesta”, the event was in commemoration of World Sleep Day.
According to a report from The Associated Press, the event was also meant to be a protest to push for sleep to be considered an essential part of health and wellness.
AP News said some participants wrapped themselves in bright orange blankets, while others prepped their phones to play soothing music as they slept.
The event was organised by the Center for Sleep and Neurosciences and the Mexican Society for the Investigation of Medicine and Sleep (SOMIMS). Organisers on stage lead participants through meditation. They also reportedly gave tips for helping people fall asleep.
Nearly half of Mexicans are reported to have trouble sleeping, according to a study by the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Mexico was listed as the most overworked country in the world by a 2019 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report, which compared working hours among dozens of countries across the planet.
According to AP News, last year, Mexico’s congress debated a proposed reform to officially lower the weekly work hours from 48 – the average for many Latin American nations – to 40, the standard for much of the world. The initiative was put forward by Mexico’s ruling party, Morena, but the debate got kicked back to 2024.