Study Says Napping During The Day Seriously Affects Brain Aging
If you’ve ever felt a little guilty for sneaking in an afternoon nap, science might be on your side.
While naps are a daily ritual in many cultures, their long-term effects on brain health have remained a bit of a mystery—until now. A new study is shedding light on whether catching some midday Z’s could actually help preserve your brain as you age.
A Genetic Glimpse Into Napping and Brain Health
In a ground-breaking collaboration, researchers from University College London, the University of the Republic in Uruguay, and the Broad Institute in Massachusetts explored whether there’s a link between habitual napping and brain structure. Specifically, they looked at brain volume—a marker of neurological health.
Using data from nearly 379,000 participants in the UK Biobank (ages 40 to 69), the team focused on 92 genetic markers associated with frequent napping. They then compared these to brain scans and cognitive performance tests.
Naps and Nature
To rule out lifestyle or environmental influences, researchers used a method called Mendelian randomization, which examines genetic traits that are set at birth. This allowed them to assess whether the tendency to nap could causally influence brain health—not just correlate with it.
What the Study Found
Here’s what they discovered:
- People genetically inclined to nap had slightly larger total brain volumes.
- On average, the difference was about 15.8 cubic centimeters—the brain equivalent of 2.5 to 6.5 years’ worth of aging delay.
- There was no significant link between napping and reaction time, memory, or hippocampal volume.
While the brain-size difference may seem modest, it’s noteworthy given the role of brain shrinkage in age-related cognitive decline.
Napping Across Cultures (and Conflicting Studies)
Midday naps are nothing new. From Mediterranean siestas to afternoon tea breaks in Asia, resting during the day is culturally ingrained in many parts of the world.
Previous studies have shown that short naps can boost alertness and memory in the short term. However, long-term effects remain debated. Some reports link excessive napping to increased dementia risk, while others suggest protective benefits.
This study helps clarify the conversation by looking at genetic tendencies—removing many lifestyle-related variables.
A Few Caveats
Before you schedule a nap every afternoon, consider these limitations:
- The study focused on genetic predisposition, not actual nap habits.
- Napping frequency was self-reported as “never,” “sometimes,” or “usually,” which is subjective.
- The participant group lacked significant ethnic diversity, which may limit broader applicability.
In short, we can’t yet say whether how you nap—duration, timing, quality—affects your brain in the same way as your genes might.
Why Might Napping Help?
Though this particular study didn’t explore the why, other research suggests:
- Slow-wave sleep, often reached during short naps, helps with neural repair and clearing brain waste like amyloid beta.
- Naps may offer micro-recovery periods for the brain, allowing for emotional regulation, memory consolidation, and stress reduction.
So… Should You Nap?
If you’re sleeping poorly at night, napping shouldn’t be your fix. But if you’re getting good rest and still find yourself dipping in energy mid-afternoon, a short, 20- to 30-minute nap might do more good than harm—especially if it leaves you feeling refreshed.
And now, we know: it might just be helping your brain stay healthier, too.
Final Thought: Nap Guilt, Begone
Napping won’t make you a genius or reverse aging, but the latest science suggests it might be a small but meaningful way to support brain health over time.
So the next time you close your eyes after lunch, consider it an investment in your future self—just maybe skip the two-hour marathon.
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