If your daily nap lasts longer than 30 minutes, you might unknowingly be putting your health at serious risk!
A new research revealed that taking afternoon naps longer than 30 minutes could increase the risk of early death.
Experts from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that napping between midday and early afternoon is also linked to a higher chance of dying early. This goes against advice from the NHS and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which recommends short naps after midday and before mid-afternoon.
The study, which observed almost 90,000 people, found that these links remained strong even after considering age, gender, weight, smoking, alcohol use, and nighttime sleep.
Researchers believe that longer or irregular naps could either be signs of hidden health problems or might disturb the body’s natural sleep rhythm. Poor sleep habits have also been linked to conditions like depression, diabetes, and heart disease.
The study tracked 86,000 adults with an average age of 63 over 11 years. For one week, they wore health trackers to monitor their sleep. During the follow-up period, 5,189 people – about 6% – died.
While the study found a connection between certain napping habits and early death, scientists caution that it doesn’t prove naps directly cause health problems.
Earlier studies have also warned about the risks of napping. One study this year found that long daytime naps could increase stroke risk by nearly 25%.
Around one in five people in the UK regularly nap, especially those who sleep five hours or less at night. The NHS recommends adults get between seven to nine hours of sleep daily, though this varies by age, health, and lifestyle.
