- Scientists reveal one sleep habit that may be a predictor of longevity.
- In a recent study, researchers found that daytime napping was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in older adults.
- Here, experts break down the findings.
Our bodies rely on sleep to function. But while we all may be striving to get our recommended nine hours each night, life often gets in the way, which means you might find yourself curling up on the couch for the occasional—or not so occasional—daytime nap. But new research reveals that what seems like a harmless sleep habit may reveal more about your health than you realize.
Meet the experts: Kanwar Kelley, M.D., J.D., triple board-certified otolaryngology head and neck surgeon (ENT), obesity medicine specialist, and lifestyle medicine specialist, and co-founder & CEO of Side Health; Cheng-Han Chen, M.D., board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA; Angela S. Koh, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., P.h.D., member of the American College of Cardiology’s Geriatric Cardiology Council.
That’s the takeaway from a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, which aimed to investigate the relationship between daytime napping and all-cause mortality among older adults. The research included over 1,300 community-dwelling adults in Illinois who were 56 or older. The researchers used wearable sleep trackers to monitor the participants’ napping habits over the course of up to 14 days, including nap duration, frequency, variability in duration, and timing. The researchers then compared these metrics to reported deaths and autopsies over the course of the 19-year follow-up period.
The results showed that daytime napping—defined as sleep episodes taking place between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.—was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality. Specifically, the participants who displayed a tendency to nap in the morning as opposed to the afternoon, took longer naps, and took more frequent naps had the highest mortality rates.
Does this mean you should never take a nap again? The answer’s not quite that simple. Ahead, experts break it down.
Why might daytime naps be linked with higher mortality rates?
While the results show that participants who napped more during the day displayed a higher mortality rate, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the napping is what caused the shift. The researchers speculate that these “excessive” daytime napping habits are actually a manifestation of cardiovascular changes due to sleep disruption and circadian misalignment, though it’s worth noting that the study didn’t report on specific heart health outcomes for the participants.
“The main takeaway is that specific daytime napping patterns can signal underlying health risks in older adults,” explains Kanwar Kelley, M.D., J.D., a triple board-certified otolaryngology head and neck surgeon (ENT), obesity medicine specialist, and lifestyle medicine specialist, and co-founder & CEO of Side Health. “Such patterns may indicate physiological stress affecting cardiovascular and circadian systems.”
“Getting enough quality sleep is an important part of keeping your heart healthy,” adds Cheng-Han Chen, M.D., board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA. “During sleep, the body rests and repairs the cardiovascular system through lowering blood pressure, reducing stress hormones and inflammation, and repairing blood vessels. We know that poor sleep will increase many cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.”
Why are the findings significant?
The results of the study drive home just how much the quality of our sleep impacts our lives. Fatigue during the day doesn’t just disrupt your energy levels; it also could be a sign of something else going on with your health. “Sleep is very important to cardiovascular health. In my practice, I routinely perform a sleep assessment screening for poor sleep habits and conditions like chronic snoring or sleep apnea,” explains Dr. Kelley. “Poor sleep affects memory and the ability to complete tasks. Over time, these changes increase the risk of hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke, and mortality.”
“Sleep has been included in the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 checklist,” a list of key measures for improving cardiovascular health, adds Angela S. Koh, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., P.h.D., member of the American College of Cardiology’s Geriatric Cardiology Council. “[This emphasizes] the role of sleep in maintaining cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight.”
What does this mean for you?
If you need to take a daytime nap on the occasional low-energy day, you probably don’t need to be concerned. But if you find yourself consistently needing frequent, long naps in the morning, it may be worth bringing it up with your doctor. “Early intervention into any underlying health conditions that result in fatigue as a symptom could potentially avert poor outcomes in the future,” explains Koh.
“Do not discount napping patterns when doing a health assessment. We usually default to looking at our nighttime sleeping habits, but daytime napping should be looked at as well,” Dr. Kelley says. “If we require naps more often or those are longer in duration, we should evaluate our nighttime sleep quality, medications, and overall health. If there is a change in your sleep habits or energy, consider visiting your physician for screening.”
It’s important to remember here that a major change in napping habits is what may signal a problem, not the occasional daytime shut-eye. “Asking about changes in sleeping habits during routine physicals and patient interactions can help find underlying chronic conditions and should be part of the visit,” Dr. Kelley explains. “We are looking for changes in the pattern of napping rather than napping overall. Immediately napping after waking up in the morning holds a particular risk and should be investigated.”
Regardless of whether you have a daytime napping habit, the study’s findings are a good sign to show your nighttime sleep routine some love. “Adequate sleep duration is important,” Koh says. “Targeting seven to nine hours of good quality sleep each night is recommended.”
The bottom line
“This study is a useful reminder about the importance of sleep health on overall health outcomes of seniors,” Koh says. Still, there are some caveats to consider. Dr. Kelley notes the limitations of the study’s population, which was predominantly white and female, with an average age of 81. “While that does not discount the findings, a more balanced population might slightly change the findings,” he says. Koh also notes that infrequent nappers were disqualified from the study, so the findings may not be widely applicable.
Given the older age of the participants and how the data were collected, it’s also impossible to prove whether the difference in mortality risk was caused by napping. “Often, it is hard to tease out competing risks of age on mortality, such that one would be cautious about viewing naps as a risk on their own,” Koh explains. Instead, she suggests considering them “in tandem with lifestyle behaviors,” like physical activity and diet.
After all, sleep is only one piece of the longevity puzzle. “Though [daytime naps and mortality] are linked, there could be several factors in the relationship,” Dr. Kelley points out. “Now that this research shows a link, more research is needed to find out why this is the case.”
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