Certain Napping Patterns Linked to Higher Mortality Risk in Middle-to-Older Aged Adults

A new study presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting reveals that specific daytime napping behaviors may be associated with an increased risk of mortality among middle-to-older aged adults. The research, led by Chenlu Gao from Massachusetts General Hospital, analyzed data from 86,565 non-shiftworking participants in the UK Biobank, with an average baseline age of 63 years.

Participants were monitored by actigraphy—a method that measures movement to estimate sleep—for seven days. Daytime napping was defined as sleep occurring between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Over a follow-up period of up to 11 years, 5,189 participants (6%) died. The study found that longer nap durations, greater variability in daytime nap duration, and a higher percentage of naps taken around midday and in the early afternoon were all linked to a higher risk of mortality, even after adjusting for health and lifestyle factors.

Surprisingly, the association between napping around midday and early afternoon and increased mortality risk contradicts some previous beliefs about the benefits of afternoon naps. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine currently recommends that healthy adults limit naps to 20–30 minutes in the early afternoon to improve alertness and performance, cautioning that longer naps may result in grogginess or “sleep inertia”.

The study’s lead author emphasized the importance of considering daytime sleep behaviors in risk assessment for mortality. However, the research has limitations: actigraphy may misclassify quiet wakefulness as sleep, and the broad definition of daytime napping could have included portions of participants’ primary sleep episodes, potentially affecting the accuracy of results.

“Incorporating actigraphy-based daytime sleep assessments into clinical and public health practices may provide novel opportunities for early risk identification and personalized interventions to promote longevity,” said Gao.

Disclaimer:
This news article is based on research presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting and available abstracts. The findings are observational and do not establish causation. The study has acknowledged limitations, including possible misclassification of sleep using actigraphy and a broad definition of daytime napping. Readers are encouraged to consult healthcare professionals for personalized health advice.