Madrid - Spaniards' traditional afternoon nap, the siesta, is on the decline, a poll showed Thursday.

Only 16 per cent of Spaniards take daily siestas, according to the poll by a health education and a mattress makers' association, which interviewed more than 3,000 adults.

Nearly 59 per cent of Spaniards never nap in the afternoon and 22 per cent do so only occasionally.

Seventy-two per cent of the nappers sleep in an armchair, while 27 per cent get into pyjamas and go to bed. The biggest siesta fans are men aged more than 45 years.

Observers attribute the decline of the siesta to a quickening pace of life. (dpa)