Bad News Nap Lovers, Taking Long Naps Could Be Bad For Your Health
Whether it’s a quick disco nap before a night out, a sneaky bit of shut-eye on the commute to work or a Sunday afternoon snooze-fest, naps are the absolute best.
But bad news for nap fans who like to sleep the day away, because it turns out that though naps of the long, leisurely variety feel blooming marvellous, they might not be actually doing you any good.
New research on sleep habits by the American College of Cardiology has revealed that long naps are actually bad for our health. *sobs*
‘I’ll just rest my eyes for a bit!’ [Photo: unsplash.com via Pexels]
The study, by scientist Dr Tomohide Yamada tracked data from 300,000 people from around the world and found that taking frequent naps that are longer than 40 minutes can significantly increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome; a collection of health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and excess fat around the waist. Yikes!
Equally as worrying, the study also revealed that taking 90 minute naps increased the risk of type two diabetes by 50%.
But wait, before you leap out of bed and promise yourself you’ll never nap again, consider the fact that short naps can have all kinds of benefits including helping you to focus, feel refreshed and improving your mood. In fact, according to the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians, a short sleep after lunch can reduce stress, help cardiovascular functions, and improve alertness and memory.
So though sleeping the afternoon away is probably out, a quick power nap to pep you up is really just fine.
Na night.
When do you like to nap? Let us know @YahooStyleUK
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