Excessive Daytime Napping in Older Adults Linked to Higher Death Risk: Study

A new study has found that excessive daytime napping in older adults may be linked to a higher risk of death. Researchers believe that changes in napping habits could act as an early warning sign of underlying health problems rather than being harmless behaviour.

What did researchers find

Published in the journal ‘JAMA Network Open’, the study followed 1,338 adults aged 56 and older for up to 19 years. Participants wore wrist activity monitors that tracked their sleep and daytime rest patterns. Unlike earlier research that relied mainly on people reporting their own sleep habits, this study used objective data collected from wearable devices.

Researchers discovered that longer naps, more frequent naps, and naps taken in the morning were all connected with higher mortality rates. Every extra hour spent napping during the day was linked to around a 13% increase in mortality risk. In addition, each extra nap taken per day raised the risk by about 7%. Morning nappers were found to have a 30% higher mortality risk compared with those who mainly napped in the afternoon.

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However, the researchers stressed that the study does not prove that naps directly cause death. Instead, excessive daytime sleeping may reflect hidden health conditions such as heart disease, sleep disorders, poor nighttime sleep, or early signs of neurodegenerative illnesses like dementia.

Lead researcher Chenlu Gao explained that tracking daytime napping patterns could help doctors identify health problems earlier. The study suggests that wearable technology may become useful in monitoring the health of older adults and spotting signs of decline before serious symptoms appear.

Experts also pointed out that not all naps are harmful. Short and occasional naps can still help improve alertness and energy levels. Around 20% to 60% of older adults take naps regularly, and many do so without health complications. The concern mainly relates to excessive or unusual daytime sleeping patterns.

The findings highlight the importance of paying attention to changes in sleep behaviour as people age. Doctors and caregivers may need to consider frequent daytime sleepiness as a possible sign that an older person requires medical assessment. Monitoring sleep habits could become an important part of maintaining good health in later life.