2023-04-28 13:45:02
28 avril 2023
Researchers have shown that naps longer than 30 minutes can become harmful to health. It would be responsible for an increased risk of obesity and disorders related to the metabolic syndrome. Explanations.
We see it as the saving break in the middle of the day, an effective way to recharge our batteries for the followingnoon. The siesta has followers. But be careful! Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in the United States, have studied the links between napping, obesity and the metabolic syndrome – this set of disorders linked to abdominal obesity. The results of their work were published on April 26 in the journal Obesity.
Thus, a higher body mass index and blood pressure were observed in people who used to take naps longer than 30 minutes. They also had larger waist circumferences and higher fasting blood sugar levels. The study further revealed in these people a cluster of manifestations associated with metabolic syndrome – heart disease and diabetes.
The team of scientists also observed that taking long naps was associated with later eating and falling asleep, more energy-dense meals, and smoking. Other information: these long naps are most often taken in bed, on the sofa for the shorter ones.
The micro-nap, the best habit?
To arrive at these results, the researchers examined the nap habits and lifestyles of 3,275 adults residing in the Mediterranean basin and more specifically in the region of the city of Murcia, in Spain. They were classified into three categories: those who did not take a nap, those who slept less than 30 minutes and those who slept more than 30 minutes.
The metabolic characteristics of the participants were analyzed with regard to the category to which they belonged. In those who allowed themselves a short nap of less than 30 minutes, none of the risks observed in heavy sleepers were observed. Better, the followers of the micro-nap – less than 30 minutes – showed lower blood pressure than those who did not take a nap at all.
« This study shows the importance of considering nap duration and raises the question of whether short naps may offer specific benefits. Many institutions are realizing the benefits of short naps, primarily for work productivity, but also increasingly for overall health. says study co-author Prof. Frank Scheer, a neuroscientist in the Department of Sleep Disorders and Circadian Rhythm at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Thus, this study, even if others will have to follow, might help to establish the ideal duration of the nap so that it offers the sleeper, optimal benefits.
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