Long naps may be bad for health

Date:
August 26, 2020
Source:
European Society of Cardiology
Summary:
Many believe that lying down for a snooze is a harmless
activity. But in newly presented research, scientists show that
drifting off for more than one hour could be risky.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
Many believe that lying down for a snooze is a harmless activity. But
today, scientists show that drifting off for more than one hour could
be risky. The study is presented at ESC Congress 2020.


========================================================================== "Daytime napping is common all over the world and is generally considered
a healthy habit," said study author Dr. Zhe Pan of Guangzhou Medical University, China. "A common view is that napping improves performance
and counteracts the negative consequences of 'sleep debt'. Our study
challenges these widely held opinions." Previous research on the link
between daytime naps and death or cardiovascular disease has produced conflicting results. In addition, it did not account for the duration
of night-time sleep.

This study summarised the available evidence to assess the relationship
between napping and the risks of all-cause death and cardiovascular
disease. A total of 313,651 participants from more than 20 studies were included in the analysis.

Some 39% of participants took naps.

The analysis found that long naps (more than 60 mins) were associated
with a 30% greater risk of all-cause death and 34% higher likelihood
of cardiovascular disease compared to no napping. When night-time sleep
was taken into account, long naps were linked with an elevated risk of
death only in those who slept more than six hours per night.

Overall, naps of any length were linked with a 19% elevated risk of
death. The connection was more pronounced in women, who had a 22%
greater likelihood of death with napping compared to no napping, and
older participants, whose risk rose by 17% with naps.

Short naps (less than 60 minutes) were not risky for developing
cardiovascular disease. Dr. Pan said: "The results suggest that shorter
naps (especially those less than 30 to 45 minutes) might improve heart
health in people who sleep insufficiently at night." The reasons why
napping affects the body are still uncertain, said Dr. Pan, but some
studies have suggested that long snoozes are linked with higher levels
of inflammation, which is risky for heart health and longevity. Other
research has connected napping with high blood pressure, diabetes,
and poor overall physical health.

He concluded: "If you want to take a siesta, our study indicates it's
safest to keep it under an hour. For those of us not in the habit of a
daytime slumber, there is no convincing evidence to start."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by European_Society_of_Cardiology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


==========================================================================


Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826083021.htm

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