Besides increasing your energy levels and improving mood, a study has recently found that taking a nap during the day may help reduce hypertension levels. The findings have revealed that taking a nap during the day was associated with an average 5 mm Hg drop in blood pressure. The study says that in addition to this, for every 60 minutes of mid-day sleep, 24-hour average systolic (top number) blood pressure decreased by 3 mm Hg.
“Mid-day sleep appears to lower blood pressure levels at the same magnitude as other lifestyle changes These findings are important because a drop in blood pressure as small as 2 mm Hg can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack by up to 10 per cent..These findings are important because a drop in blood pressure as small as 2 mm Hg can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack by up to 10 per cent”, says a cardiologist at the Asklepieion General Hospital in Voula in Greece.
Moreover, people who slept during the day had more favourable blood pressure numbers readings (128.7/76.2 versus 134.5/79.5 mm Hg) compared with those who did not. “We obviously don’t want to encourage people to sleep for hours on end during the day, but on the other hand, they shouldn’t feel guilty if they can take a short nap, given the potential health benefits,” said Kallistratos.
The results will be presented in New Orleans, at the American College of Cardiology 68th Annual Scientific Session. The team for the study consisted of 212 people aged 62 years on average with a mean blood pressure of 129.9 mm Hg. However, further research is needed to validate these findings, noted the team.