Napping to catch up on your sleep might not actually be such a good idea. According to a new study published this Monday, July 25 in the scientific journal Hypertension“siester” too frequently would be linked to a increased risk of hypertension or cardiovascular accident (CVA).
To achieve these results, researchers from Central South University in China analyzed data from 358,451 patients from the Biobank database. Aged 40 to 69, the participants had no signs of high blood pressure and had never had a stroke. And according to the analysis, the people most likely to take regular naps were men who “smoked, drank daily, had a lower level of education and income, and reported both insomnia and snoring“, noted Science Alert.
The researchers also observed that these people presented more risks for their health. “A single day of napping may coincide with an increased risk of hypertension and stroke“, continues the site. Thus, the risk of hypertension was 12% higher in people who take frequent naps compared to those who never or rarely do so. The risk of stroke was increased by 24%. An even more developed risk in “young” nappers under 60, with 20% more risk of hypertension, against 10% in those over 60.
Nap and lack of sleep
Changing nap frequency could also have an impact on health. For example, going from never taking naps to taking naps sometimes increases the risk of hypertension by 40%.
However, these risks would not only be linked to the nap, but rather to what leads to taking it: the lack of sleep. “Although taking a nap in itself is not harmful, many people who do may do so because of poor sleep at night. Poor sleep at night is associated with poor health, and naps alone aren’t enough to offset that“said sleep specialist Michael Grandner of the University of Arizona, who was not involved in the study.
However, the link between napping and cardiovascular risks cannot be completely ignored. A study published in October 2008 in the journal Hypertension had already shown that the blood pressure tended to rise after a napwhich can increase the risk of stroke.
Source :
- Association of Nap Frequency With Hypertension or Ischemic Stroke Supported by Prospective Cohort Data and Mendelian Randomization in Predominantly Middle-Aged European Subjects, HypertensionJuly 25, 2022
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