Afternoon siestas could be indications of health concerns

Afternoon siestas could be indications of health concerns

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Snooze Time: The Link Between Daytime Napping and Your Demise

Every wink during the day matters, kid! Recent research has found a direct correlation between midday snoozing and an increased risk of mortality for folks in their middle and golden years.

Here's the lowdown: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 7-9 hours of sleep a night for adults to keep their physical and mental health shipshape. But what happens as we get older, and a good night's sleep seems like a dream? Well, many of us opt for a little daytime shut-eye instead.

However, a new study by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) gives us a stark wake-up call. Middle-aged and elderly adults who catnap, particularly in the afternoons, tend to have a higher chance of kicking the bucket sooner than their fellow afternoon-wake zealots.

But hold your horses — this observational study can't prove that daytime napping directly kills you. The researchers suggest it might signal underlying health problems instead, but more research is needed to nail down the exact cause and effect.

So, what makes afternoon naps so deadly? Researchers sifted through data from 86,565 participants in the UK Biobank, aged 63 on average. They found that folks who napped longer, had more variation in snooze duration, and snoozed during the midday to early afternoon hours were more likely to shuffle off this mortal coil sooner than their fellow nappers who stuck to less frequent, shorter, and more consistent naps.

How can you ensure a restful slumber at night? Emer MacSweeney, MD, CEO, and neuroradiologist at Re:Cognition Health, offers some advice:

1. Develop a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends.
2. Limit caffeine and alcohol, especially in the evening.
3. Create a calming bedtime routine free from screens and stimuli.
4. Increase daytime exposure to natural light to strengthen your body's internal clock (circadian rhythm).
5. Manage medical conditions like pain, heart failure, or respiratory disorders that can impact sleep.
6. Treat sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome.
7. Exercise regularly, but keep your workouts light on the toesies close to bedtime.

If persistent sleepiness persists despite good sleep hygiene, MacSweeney recommends a clinical sleep assessment. So, there you have it — nap responsibly, and catch those zzz's only when and how your body needs them!

1. The associating of aging and longevity with daytime napping reveals a concerning link to an increased risk of mortality, particularly for seniors.
2. General health, both physical and mental, heavily depends on a good night's sleep, but as we age, maintaining this becomes challenging, causing some to resort to daytime naps.
3. A study conducted by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) indicated that middle-aged and elderly adults who frequently nap, especially in the afternoons, may have a higher chance of developing chronic diseases and mental health issues.
4. Science continues to delve into the connection between sleep, medical conditions, and chronic diseases, but the APSS study suggests that daytime napping could signal underlying health problems.
5. For healthy sleep habits and longevity, it's essential to adhere to good sleep hygiene, which includes maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, limiting caffeine and alcohol, creating a calming routine before bedtime, increasing daytime exposure to natural light, managing medical conditions that affect sleep, treating sleep disorders, exercising regularly, and seeking a clinical sleep assessment if persistent sleepiness persists.

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