In a new study, researchers found that napping could do more than just reboot energy levels and improve mood.
They found that people who took advantage of a midday snooze were more likely to have a noticeable drop in blood pressure compared with those who didn’t nap.
Overall, taking a nap during the day was linked to an average 5 mm Hg drop in blood pressure.
In addition, for every 60 minutes of midday sleep, 24-hour average systolic blood pressure decreased by 3 mm Hg.
This means midday sleep appears to lower blood pressure levels at the same magnitude as other lifestyle changes.
For example, salt and alcohol reduction can bring blood pressure levels down by 3 to 5 mm Hg. A low-dose antihypertensive medication usually lowers blood pressure levels by 5 to 7 mm Hg, on average.
The research was conducted by a team at the Asklepieion General Hospital.
Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure. Many don’t know they have it because there are often no signs or symptoms; over time, high blood pressure increases the risk of both heart attack and stroke.
The study included 212 people with a mean blood pressure of 129.9 mm Hg. They were 62 years old on average and just over half were female. About 1 out of 4 participants were smokers and/or had Type 2 diabetes.
Participants wore an ambulatory blood pressure monitor to measure and track blood pressure at regular intervals during routine daily living, rather than just one time in the clinic.
At study recruitment, participants also underwent an echocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart that shows its structure and function.
Overall, average 24-hour systolic blood pressure was 5.3 mm Hg lower among those who napped compared with those who didn’t.
When looking at both blood pressure numbers, people who slept during the day had more favorable readings.
These findings are important because a drop in blood pressure as small as 2 mm Hg can reduce the risk of heart disease such as heart attack by up to 10%.
Based on the findings, if someone has the luxury to take a nap during the day, it may also have benefits for high blood pressure. Napping can be easily adopted and typically doesn’t cost anything.
This is the first study to prospectively assess midday sleep’s effect on blood pressure levels among people whose blood pressure is reasonably controlled, according to the researchers.
The same research team previously found midday naps to be associated with reduced blood pressure levels and fewer antihypertensive medications being prescribed among people with very high blood pressure readings.
One author of the study is Manolis Kallistratos, MD, a cardiologist at the Asklepieion General Hospital in Voula, Greece.
The study was presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 68th Annual Scientific Session.
Copyright © 2020 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
