2023-09-11 18:10:00
Dementia risk reduced
11 September 2023 18:10 Robert Klatt
People who take regular afternoon naps have larger brain volumes as they age. This reduces the likelihood of dementia and other cognitive diseases.
London (England). In recent years, numerous studies have examined the effects of sleep on the brain. Among other things, it was discovered that lack of sleep affects people’s perception and can lead to depression, lower cognitive performance, and other health problems in children. Additionally, a study showed that afternoon naps reduce the risk of heart disease.
Researchers at University College London (UCL) led by Dr. Victoria Garfield have now discovered that afternoon naps help maintain brain health and slow the loss of brain volume as we age. There is therefore a direct connection between regular naps and increased overall brain volume. Greater brain volume is a sign of stable brain health and reduces the likelihood of dementia and other cognitive diseases.
“Our results suggest that for some people, short afternoon naps may be part of the puzzle that helps maintain brain health as we age.”
Health data from 378,932 people analyzed
According to the publication in the journal Sleep Health, researchers used Mendelian randomization to identify 97 gene variants that influence whether people tend to take afternoon naps. They then examined whether the brain health and cognitive performance of people who are genetically more likely to take afternoon naps differ from people who do not have these gene variants. Health data from 378,932 people from the UK Biobank study were used.
Significant differences in brain volume
Overall, people who tend to nap have a larger total brain volume. The average difference in brain volume compared to people who do not have the habit of napping is 2.6 to 6.5 years of age. However, the scientists did not discover any differences in cognitive performance, which was determined based on reaction time, visual processing, and the volume of the hippocampus. According to Valentina Paz, it has been proven for the first time that there is a causal connection between afternoon naps and brain volume.
“This is the first study to attempt to disentangle the causal relationship between habitual daytime sleep and cognitive and structural brain outcomes. By considering genetic factors that are determined from birth, Mendelian randomization avoids confounding factors that may arise throughout life and influence associations between napping and health outcomes. Our study suggests a causal relationship between habitual napping and larger total brain volume.”
Information about the duration of the subjects’ naps is not available. However, studies have previously provided evidence that minutes or less provide the best short-term cognitive benefits and that naps should occur as early in the day as possible to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep.
Sleep Health, doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2023.05.002]
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