For older adults, naps may be a warning sign of underlying conditions or declining health, according to a new study.
In the study, published in JAMA Network Open on April 20, researchers found that morning naps as well as longer and more frequent naps were associated with higher all-cause mortality rates in adults with an average age of 81.
The study, led by investigators from Mass General Brigham and Rush University Medical Center, used data from more than 1,300 adults aged 56 years or older over about 19 years.
“While brief naps can immediately alleviate fatigue and improve alertness,” the authors write, “excessive napping in late life has been linked to adverse health outcomes, including neurodegeneration, cardiovascular diseases and even greater morbidity.”
While previous findings relied on self-reported napping habits and omitted metrics such as when and how regularly those naps occurred, the latest study is one of the first to show an association between objectively measured nap patterns — via wearable devices — and mortality, according to the authors.
The findings suggest there is “immense clinical value in tracking napping patterns to catch health conditions early,” the authors added, but noted this is correlation not causation.
“Excessive napping is likely indicating underlying disease, chronic conditions, sleep disturbances or circadian dysregulation,” said lead author Chenlu Gao, an investigator in the Department of Anesthesiology in the Mass General Brigham. “Now that we know there is a strong correlation between napping patterns and mortality rates, we can make the case to implement wearable daytime nap assessments to predict health conditions and prevent further decline.”
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Frequent naps could signal health issues for older adults
Reporting by Sara Moniuszko, USA TODAY / The Detroit News
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