SEATTLE – Down time is not for slackers.

It isn’t even down time really because there’s lots going on when a person unplugs from constant activity. Well-rested people are more productive. There’s research to back that up, but we already know that.

Even though being at rest is beneficial, it’s nearly un-American.

That attitude costs us, and we ought to unlearn it.

Perhaps you saw that story last month about research on napping and health. It said a midday nap seems to reduce the risk of fatal heart problems.

Napping can keep you alive, but it doesn’t do anything for your image, not in this country anyway.

The study was done in Greece, which is one of those countries where it’s still OK to be a human being rather than a machine.

One expert suggested that even if someone here took up the practice, he’d be so stressed about being ostracized that the snooze wouldn’t do any good.

Americans aren’t going to take up napping. We even short ourselves on sleep at night so we can squeeze in more chores.

People want to look and feel industrious. And it’s hard to break a pattern that runs so deep.

A few students at Garfield High School in Seattle started something called Quiet Club last fall.

Adam Gish, a language-arts teacher, let them use his room at lunch time. The idea was that kids could just sit and enjoy a little peace, or work quietly on homework if they wanted.

It hasn’t quite caught on.

A couple of girls showed up one week and sat talking until the concept of quiet was explained to them.

They left. They tried again another time, whispering instead of talking aloud. Um, no that wasn’t the idea.

Finally, they sat quietly and passed notes back and forth.

Quiet, like napping, is a foreign concept. Most folks don’t even get a good night’s sleep.

I thought about sleep when I read about an SUV that crossed over an interstate and crashed into a tour bus. Thousands of car wrecks each year are caused by drivers impaired by lack of sleep. Sleepy drivers can be as dangerous as drunken drivers. We ought to treat sleep as a public-safety issue.

Some of us have forgotten how to recharge ourselves.

Rest in the United States often involves sitting in front of a television, but that just makes people feel more tired.

Sometimes, instead of natural rejuvenation, people self-medicate – caffeine in the morning and alcohol later on.

Some guy thinks he’s found the ideal breakfast product for hassled Americans. He’s created doughnuts and bagels full of caffeine, so you don’t even need to take time for coffee.

What kind of life is his target customer living?

OK, I thought about the doughnut for a second. I’m very busy.

But I think I’ll get to bed early tonight. If I live longer, I can get more done. If I get more done, I win. Maybe I should sit quietly and think about that.

Just don’t tell anyone.