Health

Why naps may increase the risk of death: Here’s what a new study says

It turns out that having a nap in the middle of the day might not be as sound as it seems.

Born in Leeds, Joe finished his Spanish degree in 2018 before becoming an English teacher to football (soccer) players and managers, as well as collaborating with various football media outlets in English and Spanish. He joined AS in 2022 and covers both the men’s and women’s game across Europe and beyond.

Update: Jun 8th, 2025 13:01 EDT

While it’s known, at least in my eyes, as one of humankind’s greatest evolutionary achievements, the afternoon nap may have negative effects on some.

A recent UK-based study has found that longer or irregular daytime naps may be associated with an increased risk of death, particularly among middle-aged and older adults.

Researchers looked into data from over 86,000 participants, with an average age of 63, who wore wrist activity trackers for a week before being followed for up to 11 years.

Lions can sleep for up to 24 hours following a large meal
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The study found that people who frequently took long naps—over 30 minutes—or had inconsistent nap durations from day to day were more likely to experience higher mortality rates compared to those who either didn’t nap or took shorter, more regular naps. These numbers stood up even after adjusting for factors such as age, gender, BMI, smoking habits, and alcohol use.

“People who slept longer during the day, had irregular daytime sleep patterns, or slept more around midday and early afternoon were at greater risk, even after accounting for health and lifestyle factors,” lead researcher Chenlu Gao, a postdoctoral research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a news release.

“Interestingly, the data that shows risks associated with napping around midday and early afternoon contradicts what we currently know about napping, so further research on that link could be warranted,” Gao said.

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The report will be presented at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

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