Germany’s heatwave and the debate over siestas, explained

Europe is sweltering, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many places. As a way to deal with rising temperatures that hamper productivity, Germany has come up with an out-of-the-box solution. The introduction of siestas. Yes, you are right, midday naps. Johannes Niessen, the head of the Federal Association of Physicians of German Public Health Departments (BVÖGD), told the RND media network in an interview published on Tuesday, “We should orient ourselves to how people work in the heat in southern countries: get up early, work productively in the morning, and take a siesta at midday. It is a concept that we should adopt in the summer months.” Also read: Explained: What is the deadly Cerberus heatwave sweeping across Europe? Need for a siesta The Spanish word “siesta” refers to the midday break that many people take, which frequently includes sleep or other forms of rest. However, it’s a routine in the world’s hotter regions, according to German outlet DW. The more taxing hours of the day should be performed in the morning before the extreme heat exhausts workers, according to the BVGD doctors. Niessen said, “People are not as productive as normal when it’s very hot. Moreover, bad sleep due to warm nights can lead to additional concentration problems.” [caption id=“attachment_12890222” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] People rest during a hot and sunny day of summer in Madrid, Spain. AP[/caption] The public health chief also called for “sufficient fans and lighter clothing, even if the attire rules for an office don’t allow it.” “A cold footbath under the desk would be another option to stay cool while working from home,” he said. Since Germany has never had extended afternoon breaks, it remains to be seen whether the notion will be put into practice. Also read: Cerberus, Charon, Xenia: Why are some heatwaves now being named? The debate The German government reacted positively to the suggestion and said that call for siestas should be taken “very seriously” given sharply rising temperatures. However, it also said companies and employees would have to decide whether to take it up. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach tweeted that “siesta in the heat is certainly not a bad suggestion” but signalled that the government doesn’t intend to get involved in the issue. “Employers and employees should negotiate on that themselves," he wrote, adding, “Certainly makes sense medically for many professions.”

Siesta in der Hitze ist sicherlich kein schlechter Vorschlag. Das sollten aber Arbeitgeber und Arbeitnehmer selbst aushandeln. Medizinisch sicher für viele Berufe sinnvoll. https://t.co/LUtRrWBaeg

— Prof. Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) July 18, 2023

On holiday in Italy, Lauterbach tweeted that high temperatures had stopped him from going on a day trip to Rome, according to Reuters. “My daughter would rather stay in the pool while I will read. Next try tomorrow.” The BDA employers association said more flexible working hours could enable employees to take longer midday breaks if it suited both parties. Also read: Scorching summer in Europe, US: When will the deadly heatwaves end? Not as hot as in southern Europe According to AP, while Germany has avoided the kind of temperatures roasting southern Europe this week, it has sizzled at times this summer in temperatures in the mid-30s Celsius (90s Fahrenheit). The highest temperature so far this year, 38.8 degrees Celsius (101.8 degrees Fahrenheit), was recorded in Bavaria on Saturday. Since then, the heat has receded.

Still, this summer’s high temperatures have been enough to prompt the head of the BVOeGD association, which represents public health officers across Germany, to propose that the country rethink its working habits during heat waves. Also read: Heat is On: How 3 July becomes the world's hottest day and the worst is yet to come Intense heat boils Europe The World Meteorological Organisation warned on Monday that the heatwave in Southern Europe, which experts say is being driven by a combination of climate change and an El Niño weather pattern, is set to intensify this week. According to the UN weather agency, temperatures in Europe may potentially surpass the 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.84 degrees Fahrenheit) record that Sicily set two years ago. Three huge wildfires raged outside Athens for a second day as Greece prepares for a second heatwave that is expected to arrive on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_12890252” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Men help a firefighter as they try to extinguish a wildfire burning near the village Vlyhada, near Athens, Greece. Reuters[/caption] Due to wildfires, the most severely damaged areas were referred to as “fiery hell” by local media. According to one headline, “Heatwave Kleon: Fiery hell with the mercury at 44 degrees - The difficult days,” reported Sky News. From Bolzano in the north to Palermo in the south, health officials in Italy issued excessive temperature warnings for 20 cities, with that number growing to 23 on Wednesday. There are now more worries about the possibility of wildfires in Spain as a result of the country’s ongoing drought. On La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands, a blaze was burning for a fourth day in a row despite efforts by 400 firemen and nine water-dumping helicopters. Around 150 firefighters, police, soldiers, and other emergency services from Switzerland battled a wildfire on a mountainside in the southwest Wallis region with the assistance of helicopters. Four nearby villages and hamlets had to evacuate their residents owing to the fire. Also read: The Deadly Summer of 2023: Why long heatwaves are here to stay Rising concerns about climate change The latest heat wave added to concerns about climate change. The World Meteorological Organization said preliminary global figures showed last month was the hottest June on record. [caption id=“attachment_12890262” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Tourists sit in the shade to shelter from the sun during a heatwave, in Palermo, Italy. Reuters[/caption] “The extreme weather, an increasingly frequent occurrence in our warming climate, is having a major impact on human health, ecosystems, economies, agriculture, energy and water supplies,” WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said Wednesday. “This underlines the increasing urgency of cutting greenhouse gas emissions as quickly and as deeply as possible.” According to Professor Richard Betts, a climate scientist at the Met Office and the University of Exeter, the worrying highs are consistent with experts’ warnings about the continued use of fossil fuels. He told BBC, “This is all a stark reminder of what we’ve known for a long time, and we will see ever more extremes until we stop building up more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.” With inputs from agencies