It seems that taking those afternoon naps might not be as harmless as we once thought. A recent study shared at the annual SLEEP 2025 conference suggests that frequent and long daytime naps could be linked to higher mortality rates in older adults. This study, led by Chenlu Gao from Massachusetts General Hospital, highlights that not just the act of napping, but the timing and length of naps, might be important indicators of health risks.
The research involved over 86,000 participants, all averaging around 63 years old and maintaining regular daytime work schedules. They were monitored using actigraphy, a method that tracks movement during sleep, although it doesn’t measure brain activity. Over the eight-year follow-up period, researchers found that about 6% of participants passed away, suggesting a potential connection between napping habits and mortality.
In particular, taking longer naps, especially between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., was associated with higher mortality rates. The study accounted for other factors like demographics, body weight, smoking habits, alcohol use, and nighttime sleep duration. Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, a sleep specialist, noted that naps aren’t necessarily bad unless they’re compensating for poor nighttime sleep.
It’s important to mention that the study doesn’t definitively prove that naps cause health issues. Gao pointed out that the results show associations, not causations, meaning naps themselves might not directly lead to higher death rates. Some of the limitations include the potential misclassification of “quiet wakefulness” as sleep and the broad definition of daytime naps.
Excessive napping, however, might indicate other health problems such as chronic diseases or disruptions in circadian rhythms. Rohrscheib added that habitual naps could also suggest insufficient nighttime sleep or underlying health conditions leading to daytime drowsiness. This highlights the need for more research to understand these connections better.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests that adults should keep naps short—20 to 30 minutes—to avoid feeling groggy afterward, known as “sleep inertia.” While a quick nap can enhance alertness and performance, longer naps might delay these benefits.
Overall, the findings hint at the importance of moderation when it comes to napping. Keeping an eye on napping patterns might help identify health issues early, allowing for timely interventions. As Gao emphasized, further research is needed to uncover the causal relationships and to determine how napping patterns could potentially benefit health.
