Napping too much after 60? New study links long afternoon snoozes to higher death risk
naps
in the early afternoon, and found these were linked to a higher death risk over 8 years, as per the report by Fox News Digital.
Chenlu Gao, the study's lead author and a postdoc at Massachusetts General Hospital, said they wanted to understand more than just if people nap — but also how long, when, and how often. The study had 86,565 participants with an average age of 63. All had regular daytime jobs, as per reports.
Naps between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. were most risky
These people wore devices that tracked their movement during sleep. It didn't check brain activity though. Scientists defined daytime napping as sleep between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Over the next 8 years, 5,189 people (6%) from the study died, as stated in the report by Fox News Digital.
People who napped between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. or took longer naps had higher chances of dying during those 8 years. The study also adjusted for other death risk factors like age, weight, smoking, alcohol, and night sleep time. Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, a sleep expert from Wesper, New York, who wasn't part of the study, said naps are okay unless they're used to make up for bad night sleep, according to the report by Fox News Digital.
Long naps might mean you're not sleeping well at night
She also said adults need 7 to 9 hours of good sleep at night to stay healthy and avoid diseases like heart problems and diabetes. One issue with the study: it might have confused "quiet rest" with actual sleep, because the tracker only checks movement, not brain activity, as mentioned in the reports.
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Also, defining naps as between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. may have accidentally included some people's real sleep, not just naps. Too much daytime sleeping could be a sign of other health problems like chronic illness, body inflammation, or issues with the body's internal clock, as mentioned by Fox News Digital.
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Dr. Rohrscheib said if someone needs a nap every day, they probably have bad night sleep or an underlying health issue. Chenlu Gao said more studies are needed to find out whether naps directly cause health issues, or if they're just a sign of something else.
But Gao also said watching people's napping patterns could help spot health problems early and let doctors step in faster. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says healthy naps should be under 20 to 30 minutes, and taken early in the afternoon, according to the reports.
Short "power naps" can help you feel more awake and full of energy. But if you nap for more than 30 minutes, you might feel tired or dizzy after waking up.
In short, sleeping too much during the day after age 60 can be risky. The time, length, and how often you nap may show signs about your health, according to Fox News Digital
FAQs
Q1. Is it dangerous for older adults to nap a lot during the day?
Yes, a new study says too much daytime napping after age 60 may raise the risk of death.
Q2. How long should a healthy nap be?
Experts say naps should be 20–30 minutes and taken early in the afternoon.
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