Trending Now - Daytime Napping Linked to Increased Heart Disease Risks
WHO:
Fox News - Lead author Chenlu Gao, PhD, is an investigator in the department of anesthesiology at Mass General Brigham.
Prevention - John La Puma, M.D., and Srihari Naidu, M.D., emphasized the importance of bedtime consistency for heart health.
Prevention - Researchers from a study published in Finland, including John La Puma, M.D., and Srihari Naidu, M.D.
Fox News - Lead author Chenlu Gao, PhD, from Mass General Brigham.
WHAT:
Fox News - The study found that excessive daytime napping is associated with higher mortality risk in older adults, with longer and more frequent naps linked to increased health concerns.
Fox News - The study indicated that morning naps were linked to about a 30% increase in mortality risk, and each additional hour of daily napping was associated with about a 13% higher risk.
Fox News - Each additional nap per day increased mortality risk by roughly 7%.
Prevention - The study found that irregular bedtimes significantly increased the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or cardiovascular-related death over a 10-year period.
Fox News - Between 20% and 60% of older adults take naps, according to the researchers.
Prevention - A study followed 3,231 Finnish adults born in 1966 to assess the impact of bedtime inconsistency on heart disease risk.
Prevention - Participants were categorized into three groups based on their bedtime regularity: regular, fairly regular, and irregular.
Prevention - Those with irregular bedtimes had a doubled risk of heart disease compared to those with regular bedtimes.
Fox News - The study tracked 1,338 older adults for up to 19 years, examining their daytime napping habits and all-cause mortality rates.
Fox News - Morning naps were linked to a 30% increase in mortality risk, while each additional hour of daily napping was associated with a 13% higher risk.
Fox News - Each additional nap per day increased mortality risk by roughly 7%.
WHERE:
Prevention - The study was conducted in Finland.
Fox News - The study population was limited to older adults in the Midwest of the United States.
WHEN:
Prevention - The study tracked participants over a 10-year period, with data cross-referenced after that duration.
Prevention - The study tracked participants over a 10-year period.
Fox News - The study followed participants for up to 19 years.
WHY:
Fox News - The study suggests that excessive napping may indicate underlying health decline, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular diseases.
Prevention - The study indicates that irregular bedtimes may lead to increased body inflammation, contributing to heart disease risk.
Prevention - Irregular bedtimes may lead to increased body inflammation, contributing to heart disease risk.
Fox News - Excessive daytime napping may indicate underlying health decline, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular diseases.
HOW:
Fox News - The study utilized wrist-worn trackers to objectively measure the timing and duration of daytime napping habits.
Fox News - The study utilized wrist-worn trackers to objectively measure napping habits and their timing.
Prevention - Participants wore research-grade wrist sleep monitors for seven days to track sleep patterns.
Fox News - The study utilized wrist-worn trackers to objectively measure napping habits.
(UPDATED April 22, 2026 23:14 UTC)
A new study led by Dr. Chenlu Gao from Mass General Brigham has found that excessive daytime napping in older adults is linked to a higher risk of mortality, with longer and more frequent naps raising health concerns. Specifically, morning naps were associated with about a 30% increase in mortality risk, while each additional hour of napping raised the risk by approximately 13%, and each extra nap per day added roughly 7% to that risk. The research, which used wrist-worn trackers to measure napping habits, suggests that excessive napping may indicate underlying health issues, including neurodegeneration and cardiovascular diseases.
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(UPDATED April 22, 2026 19:27 UTC)
A new study highlights the critical role of consistent bedtimes in maintaining heart health, revealing that irregular sleep patterns can significantly elevate the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or cardiovascular-related death over a decade. Researchers found that between 20% and 60% of older adults take naps, and they used wrist-worn trackers to objectively measure napping habits and their timing. The findings suggest that these irregular bedtimes may lead to increased body inflammation, which contributes to the overall risk of heart disease.
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(UPDATED April 22, 2026 17:24 UTC)
A recent study conducted in Finland followed over three thousand adults born in 1966 and found that those with irregular bedtimes had a doubled risk of heart disease compared to their regularly sleeping counterparts. In a separate study tracking older adults in the Midwest for up to 19 years, researchers discovered that morning naps were linked to a 30% increase in mortality risk, with each additional hour of napping raising the risk by 13%. Both studies utilized wrist-worn trackers to objectively measure sleep patterns and napping habits, highlighting the potential health impacts of inconsistent sleep.