2023-06-30 10:06:00
It has happened at least once to each of us to have a bit of fatigue during the day and take a nap. This habit, traditionally present in the youngest among us, should be extended to all ages. For good reason, among the many benefits of the nap, it would be beneficial for our brain.
Indeed, according to a recent study, regular naps during the day might help maintain good brain health and slow brain shrinkage, present during aging. This research, conducted by scientists from University College London and the University of the Republic (Uruguay), was published in the journal Sleep Health on June 20, 2023.
Brains up to 6.5 years younger in nap-prone people
For this study, the researchers used data from 378,932 participants in the UK biobank. This is a large UK study bringing together genetic, lifestyle and health information from nearly 500,000 people, aged between 40 and 69. The scientists used a technique called mendelian randomization in order to examine 97 DNA snippets believed to determine the likelihood of people taking a nap in the usual way. Using this method, the researchers identified individuals genetically inclined to napwhile measuring their brain health.
By comparing people who were genetically predisposed to napping and those who weren’t, experts found that those predisposed to nap had a larger total brain volume than the others. This is equivalent to a brain of 2.6 to 6.5 years younger.
However, the researchers found no difference in the performance of people scheduled for naps on hippocampal volume, reaction time and visual processing. These results, however, highlight the benefits of a regular daytime nap.
Daytime naps: a solution to preserve brain health
The authors of the study are delighted with these results which they find encouraging. “We have found a link between regular daytime naps and larger brain volume, which may suggest that taking a nap regularly provides protection once morest neurodegeneration by compensating for insufficient sleep“, share the scientists.
Thus, according to them, the nap might preserve brain volume and also potentially be used for the prevention of dementia. They specify that the nap can be positive for our health up to 30 minutes.
Dr Garfield, another author of the study, concluded: “I hope that studies like this showing the health benefits of short naps can help reduce any stigma that still exists around daytime naps.”
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