Imagine if American businessmen and women traded their late afternoon conference calls and post lunch meetings for a quick siesta. The country would become suddenly quiet as corporate executives climbed on or under their desks for 20 minutes of shut-eye.

The Spaniards have no problem living such a life. The siesta is an established part of Spanish culture, and though workaholic Americans will most likely never stop their business day for a mid afternoon nap, recent medical research has found that taking such a break after lunch makes more sense than ever.

Though it's understood that we usually become sleepy or less energetic after eating, scientists at the University of Manchester have finally discovered why. It seems that the glucose that is processed from the sugar in food actually stops brain cells from producing the signals necessary to keep us awake. The Manchester researchers now understand how glucose stymies the neurons that produce orexins - the proteins that help to keep us conscious.

"This may well provide an explanation for after-meal tiredness and why it is difficult to sleep when hungry. Now that we know how glucose stops orexin neurons from "firing," we have a better understanding of what may occur in disorders of sleep and body weight," explains lead researcher Dr. Denis Burdakov.

[via EurekAlert]

Image: boston.com