Recent research suggests that taking a short daytime nap, which was previously considered unfavorable by some, may actually have benefits for the aging brain. In particular, studies have found a correlation between regular napping and increased brain volume.
While some experts have suggested that prolonged daytime napping could potentially be an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease, other research has indicated that a brief nap can enhance an individual's learning abilities.
“In line with these studies, we found an association between habitual daytime napping and larger total brain volume, which could suggest that napping regularly provides some protection against neurodegeneration through compensating for poor sleep,” the researchers said as reported by The Guardian.
A study conducted by a team of experts from University College London and the University of the Republic of Uruguay has been published in the journal Sleep Health. In this study, the researchers utilized data from the UK Biobank study, which has gathered lifestyle, genetic, and health data from a sample of 500,000 individuals between the ages of 40 and 69.
The research team analyzed data from 35,080 participants in the Biobank study. Their primary objective was to examine genetic variants that had previously been associated with daytime napping and determine if these variants were correlated with brain volume, cognition, and overall brain health.
“It is like a natural randomised control trial,” said Dr Victoria Garfield, a co-author of the study from University College London. She was quoted by The Guardian.
“They’re present in around at least 1% of the population, which is actually quite a lot of people.”
The research team discovered a correlation between a genetic inclination towards daytime napping and increased brain volume. This correlation was equivalent to experiencing a reduction in brain aging by approximately 2.6 to 6.5 years. However, no connection was found between this genetic preference for napping and cognitive performance.
“It could be having a short daytime nap … could help preserve brain volume and that’s a positive thing, potentially, [for] dementia prevention,” said Garfield. She reportedly added that a nap of duration of up to 30 minutes was found to be beneficial.
“This study is important because it adds to the data indicating sleep is important for brain health,” she said.
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