Study warns: Long naps increase the risk of serious illness

Despite many people believing that napping can rejuvenate and improve health and overall performance, a recent Chinese study shows the opposite.

According to a study conducted by Fudan University in Shanghai, China, sleeping during the day for more than 60 minutes may increase the risk of stroke by about a quarter.

While a 30- to 40-minute nap can enhance concentration, the study showed that sleeping for more than 60 minutes may also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes or even early death, according to the British newspaper "Daily Mail".

According to a YouGov study specializing in surveys and research, 1 in 4 Britons take a daytime nap regularly.

Scientists from the Institute of Nutrition at Fudan University in Shanghai analyzed data on sleep patterns and the risk of stroke in more than 90,000 people over the age of 50.

They found that those who regularly slept for at least an hour at lunchtime were 23 per cent more likely to have a stroke.

Around 100,000 people in the UK suffer a stroke each year, where a clot blocks blood flow to the brain, often causing partial paralysis, speech problems and even death.

The latest study, published in the journal Sleep Medicine, found the risk was higher in those who slept for less than seven hours a night.

The researchers believe that an unhealthy sleep routine could lead to inflammation in the blood vessels that supply the brain, increasing the risk of stroke, noting that daytime napping is common around the world.

The scientists also said the findings showed that there were harmful health consequences when people used long naps to compensate for short sleep at night.