Go Ahead, Take a Nap. A New Study Says They May Be Good for Your Heart

A new study says naps aren’t a lazy indulgence. In moderation, they may actually be good for your heart. In a new paper published in the journal Heart, researchers found that Swiss adults who took one or two daytime naps per week had a lower risk of heart problems, including heart disease and strokes, than non-nappers. Since inadequate sleep is a known risk factor for a host of health problems, including cardiovascular issues, naps’ ability to replace lost nighttime sleep could make them a healthy habit. Almost 3,500 Swiss adults ages 35 to 75 took part in the study. They provided researchers information about their napping habits, nighttime sleep, demographics and lifestyle information, and underwent a range of medical tests meant to assess their overall health. More than half of participants said they hadn’t napped during the week before the study began. Of the nappers, 667 said they had taken one or two, 411 said they had taken three to five and 370 said they had taken six to seven naps. During up to eight years of follow-up, 155 people had a heart problem. The researchers found that people who took one or two daytime naps per week had a lower risk of cardiovascular issues than non-nappers, even after adjusting for excessive daytime sleepiness (which can be a symptom of underlying health issues), nighttime sleep duration and demographic and lifestyle factors. The connection between more frequent naps and heart health was not as strong. These short snooze...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized onetime sleep Source Type: news