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Study reveals daytime nap linked to increased chance of dementia
AL.com • • health
Key Points:
- New research from Johns Hopkins indicates that daytime napping in adults aged 65 and older is linked to a significantly increased risk of developing dementia over a 10-year period.
- Individuals who napped most days or daily had a 48% higher risk of dementia compared to those who rarely or never napped, with unintentional napping associated with a 39% higher risk.
- Frequent nappers also tended to have higher BMIs, more health conditions, stronger depressive symptoms, and increased daytime sleepiness, with a majority being men.
- Naps shorter than 30 minutes were associated with a 40% higher risk of dementia, suggesting nap length may influence risk.
- Study author Adam Spira emphasized that frequent napping may be a marker of underlying brain changes related to dementia, rather than a direct cause of the condition.
