Regularly finding time for a little snooze can have significant benefits for our brain health and overall well-being, according to researchers from University College London. The team discovered that individuals who incorporated napping into their routine had brains that were approximately 15 cubic centimeters (0.9 cubic inches) larger. This increase in brain volume corresponds to a potential delay in the aging process by three to six years.
As per the news published by BBC News, while napping has proven to be beneficial, scientists recommend limiting the duration of daytime sleep to less than half an hour. Unfortunately, in many careers, taking a nap during the day is challenging due to work culture frowning upon the practice. Nevertheless, Dr. Victoria Garfield, one of the researchers involved in the study, suggests that everyone could potentially experience some benefits from napping. She finds the findings to be “novel and exciting.”
Napping plays a critical role in development during infancy, becomes less common as we age, and regains popularity after retirement, with 27% of individuals over 65 reporting engaging in daytime napping. Dr. Garfield emphasizes that napping is an “easy” activity to incorporate into one’s routine compared to weight loss or exercise, which can be challenging for many people.
While the brain naturally shrinks with age, further research is required to determine whether napping can help prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s. Maintaining overall brain health is essential for safeguarding against dementia, as the condition has been linked to disrupted sleep patterns. The researchers propose that poor sleep negatively impacts the brain over time by causing inflammation and interfering with the connections between brain cells. Therefore, regular napping might protect against neurodegeneration by compensating for deficient sleep, according to researcher Valentina Paz.
However, Dr. Garfield, while acknowledging the benefits of napping, prefers alternative methods of caring for her brain. She would rather spend 30 minutes exercising than napping and intends to recommend the same to her mother. Studying napping can be challenging as the relationship between health and napping is bidirectional, meaning that poor health can lead to increased fatigue and the need for more frequent naps. To establish the benefits of napping, the researchers utilized a clever technique involving the examination of genetic data.
They examined the DNA of 35,000 individuals between the ages of 40 and 69 participating in the UK Biobank project, specifically focusing on 97 genetic markers associated with being a “napper” or someone who prefers to power through the day without napping. The results, published in the journal Sleep Health, indicated a 15 cubic centimeter disparity in brain volume, which is equivalent to 2.6 to 6.5 years of aging. The average brain volume measured approximately 1,480 cubic centimeters in the study.
Prof Tara Spires-Jones, a renowned neuroscientist from the University of Edinburgh and the president of the British Neuroscience Association, found the study’s results intriguing. She stated that the “small but significant increase in brain volume” provides additional evidence supporting the importance of sleep for brain health. Although the researchers did not directly investigate the effects of longer midday sleep, they suggest that the evidence indicates a cutoff duration of around half an hour for optimal benefits from napping.
In conclusion, regular napping, preferably limited to short durations, has been found to have positive effects on brain health, potentially delaying the aging process. However, further research is required to understand the correlation between napping and the prevention of diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Despite the challenges of incorporating napping into daily routines, the benefits make it a worthwhile consideration for individuals seeking to enhance their overall well-being.
