Study Links Excessive Daytime Napping in Seniors to Higher Risk of Death
New research from Mass General Brigham has found that taking long or frequent daytime naps may increase the risk of mortality in older adults.
Between 20% and 60% of seniors nap during the day. While a short nap can feel refreshing, this study shows that napping too much or too often could lead to health problems.
Researchers followed 1,338 older adults for nearly 19 years, observing their napping habits using wrist trackers. They then looked at mortality rates in relation to these habits.
The findings revealed that seniors who took longer or more frequent naps, particularly in the morning, were at higher risk of dying. Specifically, morning naps were linked to a 30% increase in mortality risk, while each extra hour of daily napping raised the risk by about 13%. Additionally, having more than one nap per day correlated with a 7% increase in risk.
Dr. Chenlu Gao, the lead author, highlighted that excessive napping could indicate serious health issues like neurodegeneration or heart disease. Many earlier studies on napping relied on self-reported data, which may not have captured the complete picture. This study used movement data to assess napping patterns, providing a clearer understanding.
Despite the intriguing results, the study has limitations. It was observational, meaning it can show a relationship but not prove a cause. The research didn’t consider other health conditions that could influence the findings. Also, the sleep trackers measured movement, not actual sleep quality, which might affect the results.
Gao noted that while they found a strong link between napping habits and mortality, this does not mean that napping itself causes death. Instead, excessive napping might signal underlying health issues.
It’s essential to mention that the study focused on older White adults in the Midwest, so the findings may not apply to everyone.
Overall, this research suggests that tracking napping patterns could help detect health problems early, possibly improving outcomes for older adults.
