Looking for an excuse to sleep in? Maybe it’s time you start looking into celebrating National Sleepy Head Day. Find out what’s unique about this Finnish tradition regarding laziness and how it has legitimate roots in history.
There’s an actual Finnish tradition that started in the medieval period, which is now recognized as National Sleepy Head Day. This celebration was initially designed to help people wash off the evils of laziness.
For those who don’t know, laziness is an action under sloth, which is still considered one of the seven deadly sins, along with pride, envy, wrath, and others. This comes as the effects of laziness are long and wide, which is why the Finnish tradition warns against its practice.
If you’re curious about how harmful laziness is or how the Finnish tradition goes, this article is for you! Read more to learn why eliminating laziness is important and how this day warns against it.
What is National Sleepy Head Day
National Sleepy Head Day is a Finnish tradition celebrated on July 27. This tradition enforces the better practice of getting out of bed before 7 a.m.
To encourage this, the tradition involves all household members, family, and friends to try to wake up before everyone else. The last one to wake up will get what could only be described as a surprise, which some people would even describe as unpleasant.
This is because the last one to get out of bed will be drenched in a bucket of water. Sometimes, the last person to wake up must be flung into a pool, lake, or ocean.
The origins of National Sleepy Head Day
National Sleepy Head Day reportedly started in A.D. 250; today, it is still practiced by some families and households. The story behind it has lore, which involves falling asleep.
It started with King Decius, and under his rule of the city of Ephesus, seven people tried to escape their punishment by hiding in a cave. Upon discovery, King Decius decided to order that the cave be shut.
The story goes that the cave remained shut for 200 years, and when it was finally opened, the men were still asleep. This was known as the “Seven Sleepers of Ephesus,” which is the backbone of this celebrated tradition.
The importance of waking up earlier on National Sleepy Head Day
Legend has it that if a person doesn’t wake up early and chooses to continue sleeping on National Sleepy Head Day, this will result in a very unproductive year. In the past, the person who woke up the latest during this day was regarded as the laziest person in the house.
Because of this, they were woken up by splashing water. In Finland’s city of Naantali, this tradition goes a step further, with them throwing a celebrity off the docks.
Nobody would know who would be the chosen sleeper to be thrown off the docks, and the sleeper has to have contributed to the city’s welfare. The splash would be honorary in this setting, with actors, writers, artists, and even politicians taking the plunge.
The tradition is so strong that every city mayor has made it to the docks at least once. Regarding politics, this tradition is more about washing away corruption and inactivity, a celebration for all ages of the city’s people.
Disadvantages of laziness
While some people don’t think laziness is bad, it has many disadvantages. Let’s take a look into the many disadvantages that it holds and how it might negatively affect people’s lives.
- Missed opportunities: The first disadvantage is missing important opportunities. Being lazy could lead to being late or skipping out on otherwise important opportunities.
- Reduced productivity: Laziness can also affect productivity, leading to less done for longer periods.
- Work performance decline: Continued laziness could result in reduced work performance. This is because laziness can lead to inputting the least minimum effort, which can diminish even more over time.
- Negative relationship impact: Laziness can also affect relationships, like with kids, who require a lot of energy and attention. Sometimes, it isn’t even tiredness, but laziness that strains relationships.
- Financial difficulties: Without a sense of urgency, some people might fall behind financially, especially in an environment requiring more effort to survive.
- Professional compromise: Being lazy can also compromise your professional reputation. This could lead to less work, business opportunities, or advancements in your career.
- Mental and emotional toll: Becoming lazy can also affect the person because laziness limits them and pulls them back from striving for greatness, leading to mental and emotional tolls due to low self-esteem or a lack of self-worth.
- Personal growth hindrance: The lazier someone becomes, the less likely they are to grow; instead of adapting new lessons faster, lazy people might put them off and repeat the same mistakes because of a lack of urgency or care.
- Lack of fulfillment: Laziness can also affect a person’s drive toward their goals, and if the gap becomes too big, this can result in a lack of fulfillment.
Conclusion
Countering laziness, or at least having it under control, is very important. This is why the Finnish tradition reminds people on National Sleepy Head Day that it’s important not to be lazy.
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