A little power nap may actually be good for your heart, according to a new study published in the journal Heart.
There were 3,462 Swiss adults ages 35 to 75 who took part in the study where researchers found that those who took one or two daytime naps per week had a lower risk of heart problems, including heart disease and strokes, compared to non-nappers.
Medical experts and even some studies show that inadequate sleep often leads to health problems, including cardiovascular issues.
The Swiss adults provided researchers information about their napping habits, nighttime sleep, demographics, and lifestyle information. They also underwent a range of medical tests to assess their overall health.
During the start of the study, more than half of the participants said they hadn’t napped during the week. Those who have napped, there were 667 had taken one or two, 411 had taken three to five, and 370 had taken six to seven naps.
There were 155 recorded fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease events when researchers followed them for over five years.
“We observed a significantly lower risk for subjects napping 1-2 times weekly for developing a CVD event compared with non-napping subjects, in unadjusted as well as adjusted models,” the results of the said.
However, there was no association was found for more frequent napping or napping duration.
So how long must you take a nap?
The study didn’t give out any answer but according to a report from CNN, experts would say 20-minute snooze is enough.
Read the study here: Association of napping with incident cardiovascular events in a prospective cohort study
