Home / Health / Napping Risks: Older Adults Face Higher Mortality
Napping Risks: Older Adults Face Higher Mortality
22 Apr
Summary
- Excessive daytime napping is linked to increased mortality risk in older adults.
- Morning naps increased mortality risk by approximately 30%.
- Objectively measured nap patterns can predict health conditions early.
Research from Mass General Brigham suggests a significant link between frequent or prolonged daytime napping and increased mortality risk in older adults. The study, which tracked 1,338 older individuals for up to 19 years, found that morning naps alone were associated with approximately a 30% rise in mortality risk.
Each additional hour of daily napping was connected to a 13% higher risk, and each extra nap per day increased risk by about 7%. While correlation doesn't equal causation, these findings highlight the potential for napping patterns to serve as early warning signs of underlying health problems like neurodegeneration or cardiovascular diseases.
Researchers emphasize the clinical value of objectively measuring nap patterns, suggesting wearable assessments could help predict health conditions and mitigate further decline. Limitations include the observational nature of the study and potential misclassification of rest as sleep due to tracker limitations.
