Napping May Increase Risk of Stroke and High Blood Pressure

According to a study conducted by the Xiangya Hospital Central South University in China, nap frequency may increase the risk of stroke and high blood pressure. The study used data from the UK Biobank, a biomedical database containing anonymous genetic, lifestyle, and health data from more than 500,000 UK participants. This group provided blood, urine, and saliva samples to scientists.People who said they napped “usually” had a 12% higher risk of developing high blood pressure, and a 24% higher risk of having a stroke than those who never napped. The risk of developing high blood pressure was 20% higher in people younger than 60 who napped usually compared to those who never napped. Those who identified as frequent nappers remained in their napping categories for the most part, which means that they continued to nap often. The researchers also discovered that usual nappers had a number of factors in common: they tended to be men, had lower incomes and education levels, and smoked tobacco, drank alcohol daily, snored, and were into evening activities. Despite this, experts and study authors say that napping doesn’t necessarily cause problems-it’s just that more frequent naps can lead to less restful sleep at night