In general, the results showed that people who regularly napped were 12% more likely to develop high blood pressure and 24% more likely to have a stroke.
Compared with people who said they never napped, those who usually napped had a 12% higher likelihood of developing high blood pressure and a 24% higher chance of experiencing a stroke. Most people stayed in the same napping category throughout the study.
Although naps confer proven health benefits, napping regularly is associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and stroke, according to a study published in Hypertension (PDF), and American Heart Association (AHA) journal.
Short naps generally don't affect nighttime sleep quality for most people. But if you experience insomnia or poor sleep quality at night, napping might worsen these problems. Long or frequent naps might interfere with nighttime sleep.
New Study Links Frequent Naps to Higher Risk of Stroke, High Blood Pressure. Experts stress, however, that naps aren't inherently bad—and some napping may still be beneficial. Julia is a news reporter for Health, where she covers breaking and trending news on health and wellness topics.
Some experts say the power nap should be even shorter — 20 minutes max. But all agree it shouldn't exceed 30 minutes. That's because the body enters a deep sleep around that time, and waking up from a deep sleep can lead to grogginess, according to the Sleep Foundation.
Is a Two-Hour Nap Too Long? A 2-hour nap may make you feel groggy after you wake up and you might have trouble falling asleep at night. Aim for napping up to 90 minutes, 120-minutes if necessary. Napping every day for 2 hours could be a sign of sleep deprivation and should be discussed with a doctor.
Napping for a Better Brain
Nearly 60 percent of participants reported napping after lunch for about an hour. Scientists found that people who napped for 30 to 90 minutes had better word recall – which is a sign of good memory – than people who did not nap or who napped for longer than 90 minutes.
DALLAS, JULY 25, 2022 — Napping on a regular basis is associated with higher risks for high blood pressure and stroke, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.
What is the optimal length of time for a nap? Naps can be short (15 to 30 minutes) or longer; both short and long naps can increase alertness and be useful. Take into account that sleep becomes deeper the longer you sleep, reaching the deepest level (slow-wave sleep) in about 1 hour.
A rise in blood pressure overnight to early morning has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. An irregular blood pressure pattern could also mean that you have: Poorly controlled high blood pressure. Obstructive sleep apnea.
Still, you can make lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down. Something as simple as keeping yourself hydrated by drinking six to eight glasses of water every day improves blood pressure. Water makes up 73% of the human heart,¹ so no other liquid is better at controlling blood pressure.
“Habitual daytime naps are more likely to be indicative of sleep deficiency, chronic … disruption or a disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea, depression or cancer,” Czeisler said.
Risk factors for stroke that can be changed, treated, or medically managed: High blood pressure. Blood pressure of 140/90 or higher can damage blood vessels (arteries) that supply blood to the brain.
The problem is that about 25% of strokes occur during sleep. That means for thousands of people in Canada who have a stroke each year, there is no way for doctors to know when it actually started.
Under the international classification of sleep disorders, insomnia associated with stroke falls under the category of “Insomnia due to a Medical condition.” Insomnia is common in stroke patients and affects 20–56% of them. About 18% of the people reported new-onset insomnia after their stroke.
Daytime napping—which is reported to be more frequent in school-aged children and older adults—can occur in all age groups. Older adults are more likely to take naps during the daytime due to age-related changes in circadian rhythms and sleep patterns.
Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults—7 to 9 hours each night.
A 2007 longitudinal study that followed more than 20,000 Greek people over a six-year period found that after controlling for other factors that affect cardiovascular health (like physical activity, diet, and age), those people who reported taking regular midday naps of about 30 minutes had a 37 percent lower risk of ...
Compared with younger adults, the elderly spend more time in bed but have deterioration in both the quality and quantity of sleep. All of these changes can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, which in turn can lead to intentional and unintentional napping.
Sleep researcher Dean Croke recommends what's known as the 30-90 rule. As the name suggests, it means aiming to get either a 30-minute or a 90-minute nap to take advantage of the sleep cycles and avoid waking up during deep sleep, which can have some serious consequences — but more on that later.
The urge to sleep during the day may be a sign that they are not getting enough sleep at night, which is associated with a higher risk of developing those chronic conditions. Daytime drowsiness may also be a sign that you are getting low-quality sleep, which may indicate a sleep disorder.
Limit your nap to 45 minutes or less, if you need to spring into action after dozing. Otherwise, you may drift into slow-wave sleep. Waking from this stage results in sleep inertia, that grogginess and disorientation that can last for half an hour or more. But you might want to take a long nap, at least 90 minutes.
Modern research suggests that sleeping twice in a 24-hour period (a sleep pattern that is alternately referred to as biphasic sleep, segmented sleep, or siesta sleep) may facilitate greater energy levels, alertness, cognitive function, and productivity.
Studies show that an afternoon nap is great for adults, too. There's no need to feel lazy for indulging in daytime sleep. A short nap in the mid-afternoon can boost memory, improve job performance, lift your mood, make you more alert, and ease stress.