How Napping Habits Impact Mortality Risk in Middle and Older Adults

Recent research presented at SLEEP 2025 explores the relationship between daytime napping behaviors and mortality among middle-aged and older adults. The study analyzed data from over 86,000 participants in the UK Biobank, averaging 63 years of age, with more than half being women. Using actigraphy to monitor sleep patterns, researchers identified significant associations between certain napping patterns and increased risk of death.

Findings revealed that the median nap duration was approximately 24 minutes per day. Notably, a considerable portion of naps occurred during the morning hours, with 34% taken between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., and fewer naps happening later in the day. The study uncovered that longer naps, greater inconsistency in nap duration across days, and a higher frequency of naps around noon and early afternoon were linked to higher mortality risks.

Lead researcher Chenlu Gao highlighted the surprise at how common napping was among this age group and how varied their sleep behaviors were. She explained that individuals who engaged in extended daytime naps, had irregular sleep patterns, or napped during midday hours faced greater health risks, even after adjusting for other health and lifestyle variables.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends limiting naps to 20-30 minutes in the early afternoon to boost alertness and avoid sleep inertia, the grogginess often felt after longer naps. Interestingly, the study’s results concerning midday napping challenge current understandings of optimal napping practices and suggest further investigation into this aspect.

The research involved 86,565 non-shift workers who were monitored via actigraphy for a week. During a follow-up period of up to 11 years, 6% of participants died. The study adjusted for factors including diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and nighttime sleep duration. While the findings point to the significance of daytime sleep behaviors as potential indicators of health risks, limitations such as the inability of actigraphy to distinguish between sleep and quiet wakefulness were acknowledged.

Gao emphasized that integrating sleep activity monitoring into health assessments could help in early risk detection and personalized health strategies to improve longevity. The detailed findings are published in the journal SLEEP and will be featured at SLEEP 2025 in Seattle.