Sleep is so important that it is now one of the eight metrics doctors use to assess a person’s heart and brain.
Good heart health has always been linked to a good night’s sleep because insomnia and other sleep deficiencies can lead to high blood pressure.
The catch
A study published by the American Heart Association showed that napping frequently can be linked to hypertension.
According to the Sleep Foundation, a nap is a short period of sleep during the day.
A study was conducted with 358,451 participants free of hypertension or stroke from UK Biobank.
Those who napped often and those who never did were compared. The result was those who never napped had a higher risk of hypertension and stroke than those who did.
It also showed that a person younger than 60 years old who naps almost every day is at risk of developing high blood pressure by 20%.
Why does napping lead to hypertension and stroke?
Clinical psychologist Michael Grandner told CNN, “This may be because, although taking a nap itself is not harmful, many people who take naps may do so because of poor sleep at night. Poor sleep at night is associated with poorer health, and naps are not enough to make up for that.”
