Are you more the type to sleep 3 hours in the afternoon, or doze off watch in hand for no more than 20 minutes? If there are lots of ways to take a nap, some would be more beneficial than others for our body. This is what a recent Spanish study published in the journal obesity.
The study was conducted in Spain on 3,275 people, a country where sleeping during the day is customary. The idea was to understand what were the consequences on the metabolism of sleepers. Through various medical examinations, the benefits and disadvantages of the nap (taking into account its duration and the time at which it took place) were established by the research team which details its approach on the EurekAlert website.
Less than 30 minutes, not after 3 p.m.
They came to the conclusion that naps under 30 minutes were best. Unlike long naps which increased the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity or even increased blood pressure. In those who did long, fasting blood sugar or blood pressure was higher.
However, taking a nap is effective in terms of productivity at work, if the latter does not exceed half an hour. And ideally, it should also not take place too late in the afternoon: At 3 p.m. maximum, note the researchers.
Sources: EurekAlert, Obesity
