Taking daytime naps may help maintain brain health as we age,. However, prior research has shown that excess napping can also be harmful.
“Our findings suggest that, for some people, short daytime naps may be a part of the puzzle that could help preserve the health of the brain as we get older,” said senior author Victoria Garfield, a senior research fellow at UCL, in a statement. “Even with those limitations, this study is interesting because it adds to the data indicating that sleep is important for brain health,” she said.
Researchers looked at sections of genetic code linked to people’s likelihood of regular napping and then compared brain health and cognition results between those with the napping genes and those without. Paz told CNN that previous findings suggest that “taking a short nap in the early afternoon may benefit those needing it.”Meanwhile, previous research has shown that frequent napping or regularly napping for extended periods during the day may be a sign of early dementia in older adults.
Study participants who typically napped during the day were 12 per cent more likely to develop high blood pressure over time and were 24 per cent more likely to have a stroke compared with people who never napped.