A new study shows that it is necessary not to take a long nap during the afternoon nap that many enjoy, as it may cause obesity and diabetes, according to the British newspaper The Times.
The study involved 3,275 adults from the Spanish region of Murcia about their napping habits, then subjected them to a series of health tests.
A new study shows that it is necessary not to take a long nap during the afternoon nap that many enjoy, as it may cause obesity and diabetes, according to the British newspaper The Times.
The study involved 3,275 adults from the Spanish region of Murcia about their napping habits, then subjected them to a series of health tests.
Excessive napping is harmful
The research, conducted by Harvard Medical School, also said that the reason may be related to the excessive intake of lunch by those who nap for a long time, and their consumption of a lot of calories. The researchers explained that the afternoon snooze may also affect digestion, leading to higher blood sugar levels and lower activity rates.
Waking up after a long morning nap can lead to a spike in the hormone cortisol, which can stimulate hunger and in turn cause weight gain. However, the study said that short naps, which do not exceed 30 minutes, "end before the onset of slow-wave sleep (deep sleep)", and therefore do not cause lethargy or other harmful effects. Long naps have also been shown to reduce the number of hours of high-quality sleep in the evening, an effect that has been shown to be detrimental to health.
Dr. Marta Garollet, lead author of the study, said: “Napping times differ among themselves. Factors such as length of time, sleeping position, etc. may affect the health outcomes of napping.”
She added: “We had done a large population study in the UK before, and found that napping was associated with an increased risk of obesity. We wanted to validate these findings within a country where napping is more part of its culture, and in this case we chose Spain. We also wanted to know the relationship between Long nap time and metabolic health.
Prevalence of napping among adults
A third of the Spanish adults who participated in the study said they nap regularly, an average of four times a week. While half of them said that they take naps in order to relax, while a third of them said that they take naps as a result of fatigue.
"This study shows the importance of taking the length of naps into account, and also raises the question of whether short naps can provide unique benefits," said Dr. Frank Sher, co-author of the study.