A woman takes a siesta in the Retiro Garden, in Madrid. Fans of the siesta of Portugal gathered in the eastern Portuguese town of Estremoz for a conference designed to draw to the attention of a wider public the benefits of an afternoon snooze. Proceedings were scheduled to start at 4:00 pm to allow participants to enjoy a restoring nap after the rigours of lunch, organizers said. Among the themes are sleep and health, the siesta and mental health, and the siesta and use of time. Estremoz, 200 kilometres east of Lisbon, is in a region where the siesta enjoys a traditional popularity. Sociologists, doctors and psychologists were among the conference speakers hoping to make the public aware of the benefits of the siesta and to combat prejudice against afternoon slumber, according to Miguel Prates, president of the Portuguese association of friends of the siesta (APAS). It is "a natural break, with benefits for physical and mental health, said Prates, a lawyer. APAS has some 200 members, among them former Socialist president Mario Soares. It aims to promote the siesta as "something natural and healthy, that restores energy and is not a vice of the lazy and people seeking to dodge work," according to Prates. The association was set up in 2004 with the aim of defending the siesta as a "basic element of Mediterranean culture." Siesta fans say it helps harmonize biological rhythms, fights stress and improves the quality of life. Furthermore it cuts accidents at work and improves productivity.  (Agencies)

葡萄牙的“午觉迷”们齐聚葡萄牙东部小镇埃斯特雷莫，召开研讨会，呼吁更多的人认识到睡午觉的好处。 据组委会人员介绍，会议定于下午四点开始，这样参会者中午饱餐一顿后可以睡一觉，以恢复体能。 会议的主题包括睡眠与健康，午睡与心理健康以及午睡与时间安排。 埃斯特雷莫位于里斯本以东200公里，这里的人们历来有午睡的习惯。 据葡萄牙午睡协会（APAS）主席米格尔·普雷茨介绍，会议发言人包括社会学家，医生及心理学家。他们希望通过此次会议能让人们认识到睡午觉的好处，并能消除人们对于午觉的偏见。 普雷茨是一位律师，他说，睡午觉“是一种合乎规律的休息，对生理和心理健康都有益处。” 葡萄牙午睡协会有200名会员，其中包括前社会党主席马里奥·苏亚雷斯。普雷茨说，葡萄牙午睡协会旨在宣传睡午觉是“十分自然并有益于健康的，可以恢复体能，而不是懒汉和逃避工作者的一种恶习。” 此协会成立于2004年，其目的在于保护午睡传统，使之成为“地中海文化的一个基本组成部分”。 午觉迷们说，午睡有助于协调生物节律，缓解压力，并能提高生活质量。而且，午睡还能减少工作场所的事故，提高生产效率。  (中国日报网站编译)