In fact, what Americans—and increasingly Brits, Canadians, and Aussies—often call rest is actually

recovery

.

We will spend the weekend entombed in weighted blankets while binging Netflix and generally trying to gain strength to start the whole grind again on Monday. If we nap, we will tell ourselves that we “earned” it but still feel guilty. Even... See more

In Italy, shops and offices close midday, which provides time for a languorous lunch, a nap—or both. This period is called riposo , which means “rest” in English, and it’s similar to what Spanish-speaking countries call a siesta .

Part of the reason I moved to Italy1 was to live in a culture with different values than the US, particularly regarding... See more