Are you under the impression that a long nap is a cure for all your problems? If yes, then think again. Scientists have shown that having a nap longer than one-hour poses serious health risks. This study has been published in the journal ESC Congress 2020.1. Dr. Zhe Pan, lead author from Guanzhou Medical University, China, says, “Daytime napping is common all over the world and is generally considered a healthy habit. A common view is that napping increases performance and counteracts the negative consequences of sleep debt. Our study challenges these widely held opinions.”
This is not the first research to point out the health risks of daytime napping. Previous researches have also linked prolonged daytime napping to cardiovascular diseases and death. This study also analyzes the link between daytime mapping, cardiovascular diseases, and death. For the purpose of the study, 313,651 participants from more than 20 studies were examined. Out of these 313,651 participants, nearly 39% took daytime naps.
According to the results, compared to no napping, daytime napping for more than one-hour is linked to a 30% greater risk of death and a 34% higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, when you take nighttime napping into consideration, elevated risk of death and cardiovascular diseases was seen in only those individuals who slept for more than six hours. Basically, prolonged napping anytime is linked with a 19% higher death risk. Women especially face a 22% higher risk of death due to prolonged napping.
This number plummets to 17% in older individuals. Naps shorter than one-hour we’re not linked to cardiovascular diseases or death. Dr. Pan says, “The results that shorter naps (especially 30-45 minutes) might improve heart health in people who sleep insufficiently at night.” According to Dr. Pan, the reason why napping affects our cardiovascular system is still unknown. But some researchers believe that prolonged mapping can lead to inflammation in the body which can lead to severe health risks in the long run. Dr. Pan concluded by saying, “If you want to take a siesta, our studies indicate 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.”