Long Afternoon Naps Linked to Increased Risk of Premature Death
Unhealthy Napping Patterns May Signal Underlying Health Issues
A study has found a strong correlation between the habit of taking afternoon naps longer than 30 minutes and an increased risk of premature death.
On May 29 (local time), the UK’s Daily Mail reported that researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA, announced findings indicating that unhealthy napping habits are associated with premature mortality. This result stands in contrast to previous studies that suggested napping helps improve health and work efficiency. The findings are scheduled to be presented at the American Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) 'SLEEP 2025' annual meeting this month.
The researchers tracked the health of more than 86,000 adults with an average age of 63 over a period of 11 years. Sleep patterns were monitored by having participants wear wrist-based sleep monitoring devices for one week.
The results showed that all of the following sleep habits were linked to an increased risk of premature death: taking naps longer than 30 minutes per day, napping between noon and early afternoon, and having large variations in nap duration. These associations remained significant even after accounting for various factors such as age, gender, body weight, smoking and drinking habits, and usual sleep duration.
The researchers explained, "Long or irregular naps may be a sign of underlying health problems, and such sleep patterns may disrupt the body's natural rhythms." They also noted, "Poor sleep patterns can be an indicator of health issues such as depression, diabetes, or heart disease." However, the researchers emphasized, "This study only shows a correlation between unhealthy sleep habits and premature death; it does not establish that napping habits are a direct cause of mortality."
Previously, in February, researchers at the Institute of Nutrition at Beidan University in Shanghai reported that people who take naps longer than one hour at lunchtime have a 23% higher risk of stroke. The researchers explained that "unhealthy sleep habits can cause inflammation in the blood vessels supplying the brain, increasing the risk of blood clots." In May 2023, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston, USA, also reported that taking naps longer than 30 minutes can increase the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome.
Meanwhile, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the Sleep Research Society (SRS) warn that adults should get at least seven hours of sleep per night, and that sleeping less than six hours can be hazardous to health.
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