According to University College London researchers, scheduling a quick nap on a regular basis keeps our brains bigger for longer.
Researchers discovered that nappers had brains that were 15 cubic centimeters (0.09 cubic inches) larger, which is equivalent to delaying aging by three to six years.
The scientists advise limiting naps to no more than 30 minutes, though.
A daytime nap, however, was difficult in many professions, they claimed, as the workplace culture frequently frowned upon the practice.
According to Dr. Victoria Garfield, "We are proposing that everyone could possibly experience some benefit from napping.". She said the results were "quite novel and quite exciting.".
When we are babies, napping has been shown to be essential for development. As we age, napping becomes less popular, but it experiences a resurgence in popularity after retirement, with 27% of people over 65 reporting taking a daytime nap.
In contrast to weight loss or exercise, which are "difficult for a lot of people," Dr. Garfield advises napping because it is "something quite easy" to do.
Even though the brain naturally shrinks as we age, more research is needed to determine whether taking naps can help fend off illnesses like Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's disease is associated with sleep disruption, making overall brain health crucial for preventing the disease.
According to the researchers, chronically inadequate sleep weakens the connections between brain cells and causes inflammation in the brain.
So, by making up for inadequate sleep, regular naps may prevent neurodegeneration, according to researcher Valentina Paz.
Dr. Garfield, however, prefers to take care of her brain in other ways and is not about to find a comfortable place to nap at work.
"Honestly, I prefer to spend 30 minutes working out over taking a nap; I'll probably try it and suggest that my mother do it. " .
It can be difficult to study while noodling.
While taking naps may improve your health, the opposite is also true because you may become so exhausted due to your health.
In order to demonstrate the advantages of napping, the researchers employed a clever strategy.
They employed a massive natural experiment based on the DNA, or genetic code, that is present in all living things. 97 DNA snippets that either increase our propensity to nap or increase our ability to stay awake throughout the day have been found in previous studies.
In order to compare the genetic "nappers" and "non-nappers," the team simply used data from 35,000 participants in the UK Biobank project, ranging in age from 40 to 69.
The findings, which were reported in the journal Sleep Health, revealed a difference of 15 cubic centimeters, or 2 to 6 points of ageing. In the study, the total volume of the brain was around 1,480 cubic centimeters.
The president of the British Neuroscience Association and professor at the University of Edinburgh, Prof. Tara Spires-Jones, told me, "I enjoy quick naps on the weekends and this study has convinced me that I shouldn't feel lazy napping, it may even be protecting my brain.".
It "adds to the data indicating that sleep is important for brain health," she said, noting that the "interesting" study's findings demonstrated a "small but significant increase in brain volume.".
The scientists claimed that while the science supported a cut off of 30 minutes, they did not directly study taking a long nap in the middle of the day.
James, please. via Twitter.
