The first national siesta championship of Spain is going on in the entrance hall of a Madrid shopping centre.

The competition is all about finding the best napper and to again start the tradition of taking a catnap after having lunch.

Five participants those who have taken part in the championship are snoozing.

A 20-year-old student named Hugo dozed off as soon as he lay down on the blue sofa. Just close to Hugo is a 45-year-old woman who is also in sound sleep.

Several other people are waiting for their turn in a bid to win the championship.

One of the contestants has brought a stuffed rabbit, which she believes will help in falling sleep.

Some people in the mall looked confused, one woman said, "I could never sleep in the middle of all this movement and noise".

The 32-year-old President of the Association of Friends of the Siesta is the brainchild behind this napping contest.

Experts believe that reduction in the siesta is associated with a faster lifestyle and embracing European working hour culture.

There will be five participants in each round and the time period would be 20 minutes, which according to doctors is the right duration of taking forty winks.