Napping more than average could increase high blood pressure and stroke risk: Study

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Nas once rapped that sleep is the cousin of death and a new study lends some credence to that line.

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According to the study in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal, people who nap more on average than others have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure and stroke.

Having hypertension puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the United States.

Geriatric researchers at Central South University in Hunan, China, looked at the sleep habits and medical histories of 360,000 people in the U.K., through the UK Biobank patient survey database, and found that participants who took naps on most days saw a 24% increase in their likelihood of stroke, and were 12% more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension over time.

It got worse for those aged 60 and under. Napping most days led to a 20% higher chance of developing high blood pressure amongst that group. That was even if factors such as Type 2 diabetes, sleep disorders, shift work and high cholesterol were factored in.

Dr. Phyllis Zee, director of the Feinberg School of Medicine’s Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University, told CNN:

“From a clinical standpoint, I think it highlights the importance for health care providers to routinely ask patients about napping and excessive daytime sleepiness and evaluate for other contributing conditions to potentially modify the risk for cardiovascular disease.”