Napping longer than 30 minutes can be harmful.
Napping is a habit associated with the Spanish traditionbut which extends to many other countries and cultural. The debate on its relevance or not for health comes a long way and there are opinions back and forth.
Now add one new scientific evidence. A large study conducted by Chinese researchers, using data from more than half a million participantsand which warns of the possibility cardiovascular health risks.
if you take a nap, you will have the highest blood pressure
The research analyzed data from a common source, the macro study of the British health servicewhere the information is collected from people between 40 and 69 years old UK residents.
People who nap have a 24% higher risk of having a stroke
The bone most remarkable results of the study are:
- People who take a nap have a 12% more risk Stop high pressure.
- They also have a 24% more risk undergo a stroke or cerebral infarction.
- Study participants under 60 they had a higher risk high tension (20%) than those older than that age (ten%), both compared to those who do not take a nap.
- As long as you have a most diligent habit of nappingincreases the risk of increased blood pressure.
The study, conducted by professors of South Central University in Xiangya City and performed at hypertension magazineof the American Heart Association
don’t take a long nap
“The conclusion should not be that it is naps that increase the risk of stroke and hypertension“, say it Doctor Carlos Egea, President of the Spanish Federation of Sleep Medicine Societies.
There is evidence that frequent naps longer than 30 minutes They are associated with certain diseases, including cardiovascular disease. However, “these naps are most likely a reflection of a insufficient nighttime sleep or poor quality», points out Dr. Egea.
Long naps were previously associated with an increased risk of illness, but those of less than 30 minutes were not.
In fact, the Chinese study finds that there is a demographic bias in your data. Most respondents who take a nap are Men’s, with a low economic and educational level. There is also a higher proportion of smokers, consumers of alcohol and with insomnia and snoring problems than in those who do not take a nap.
“It is quite possible that the increased risk is because of what happens at nightand that the effect of naps is not enough to counter itconcludes Dr. Egea.
Does napping affect sleep at night?
Therefore, the study has important limitations They must be taken into account before creating a feeling of craving that napping is not healthy. To begin with, the researchers make no distinction in kind of naplike the duration of the same. So we don’t know how this factor can influence.
In any case, what this study could establish is that “excessive naps should serve as a harbinger of an insufficient night’s sleep”, adds Dr. Egea, speaking to the Science Media Center.
The study excluded from the survey to those who had other pathologies this could mean a higher risk: people with Diabetesprevious problems with high blood pressure, cholesterol or with insomnia. However, this may not be enough.
“With the information available, it is not clear whether the higher frequency of strokes and high blood pressure among the nap attendees could be because they had more sleep apnea“, emphasizes the Milagros Merino, President of the Spanish Dream Society.
how long should the nap last
A nap can be a way to help people who haven’t been able to get a good night’s rest. balance nighttime sleep deprivation.
there is even another studywith data opposite to that which concerns us, and which indicate the cardiovascular benefit of taking a short nap.
“take a nap less than 20-30 minutes is restorativeas opposed to long napsinsists Dr. Merino. In any case “The nap paper should be individualized for each patient to assess its impact on nocturnal sleep”.