Midday naps could lower the risk for cardiovascular events in, according to a recent study.
Researchers found that napping in the middle of the day can reduce blood pressure levels and reduce the number of drugs required for hypertension, Fox News reported.
"Μidday sleep is a habit that nowadays is almost a privileged due to a nine to five working culture and intense daily routine. However the real question regarding this habit is: is it only a custom or is it also beneficial?" Dr. Manolis Kallistratos, a cardiologist at Asklepieion Voula General Hospital in Athens, Greece, said in a statement.
For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from nearly 400 middle aged patients with arterial hypertension, UPI reported. The following measurements were performed in all patients: midday sleep time, office blood pressure, 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, lifestyle habits, body mass index (BMI) and a complete echocardiographic evaluation.
Researchers found that midday sleepers had 5 percent lower average 24-hour blood pressure compared to non-midday sleepers. Their average systolic blood pressure was "4 percent lower when awake and 6 percent lower when they slept," UPI reported.
"Although the mean blood pressure decrease seems low, it has to be mentioned that reductions as small as 2 mmHg in systolic blood pressure can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events by up to 10 percent," Kallistratos said.
They also found that those who took midday naps tended to need fewer antihypertensive drugs.
"We found that midday sleep is associated with lower 24 hour blood pressure, an enhanced fall of BP in night, and less damage to the arteries and the heart," Kallistratos said. "The longer the midday sleep, the lower the systolic BP levels and probably fewer drugs needed to lower BP."
The study was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress on Saturday.
