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.

Bigger isn’t better for corporate America these days; an increase in significantly overweight employees is costing companies more than the obvious expenses of obesity-related health problems.

According to a Harvard Medical School study, “obese employees consistently have higher absentee rates, show a higher likelihood of workplace accidents and a lower level of productivity.”