How do people who nap for 30 minutes and 60 minutes have different lifespans?

As you get older, the time and frequency of sleeping during the day will increase because your body gets tired and exhausted more quickly than when you are young. In particular, experts realized that the length and frequency of short sleeps even doubled in people with symptoms of dementia. Therefore, the relationship between health, longevity and nap time cannot be ignored.

Things to know about afternoon naps

Research shows: This is the ideal time to take a nap

Scientific research has found that depending on occupation, work intensity and physical condition, napping time from 6 minutes to 40 minutes brings significant benefits.

6 minutes: Memory begins to strengthen

A German study shows that just 6 minutes of sleep can improve memory. Six minutes is enough for the brain to convert short-term memory into long-term memory, thereby freeing up more "space" to store new knowledge.

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Just 6 minutes of sleep can improve memory. (Illustration).

20 to 30 minutes: Best nap time

NASA scientists found that a 24-minute nap can improve work performance by 34% and increase overall sensitivity by 54%.

This period of time also helps slow down the heart rate and protect the heart.

40 minutes: Recharge your brain

If you didn't sleep well the night before and the day's work requires exceptional concentration, a 40-minute nap can put you in a light sleep state, helping you recharge your brain.

If you want to sleep for 40 to 45 minutes, it's best to set an alarm clock. If you nap for more than 45 minutes, you will fall into a deep sleep, easily leading to fatigue and confusion after waking up due to "sleep inertia".

Sleeping more than 60 minutes: Many unspeakable harms

In the Journal of the American Alzheimer's Association, a study published showed that taking a long nap is not a good thing and affects your health. In particular, people who have the habit of napping for more than 1 hour have a 40% increased risk of Alzheimer's disease compared to people who do not nap.

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Researchers say a significant increase in the duration and frequency of napping is a particularly important signal of Alzheimer's disease. After analysis, the research team discovered that there is a two-way relationship between short sleep and Alzheimer's disease. Napping too much and for too long will increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease in the future, and Alzheimer's disease will also lead to napping too long.

Leng Yue, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, USA, said: "It's best to limit your nap time to 15 to 20 minutes before 3 p.m. get the most health benefits of short sleep. This also helps prevent nighttime sleep from being affected too much."

At the same time, Chairman of the British Sleep Association - Nick Littlehales - also said: "When you wake up after a short nap, you often feel refreshed. However, when you wake up after a deep sleep, you gets tired very easily."

In addition, according to research, people who nap for an average of more than 1 hour have a 1.88 times higher risk of stroke than people who do not sleep.

People who do not nap will lose these wonderful benefits

1. Stabilize blood pressure and protect the heart

Short naps can soothe the cardiovascular system and help stabilize blood pressure. Health data from the group of participants whose nap time was shorter than 30 minutes showed a 21% reduction in the risk of developing high blood pressure.

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Taking a short nap can help the eyelid muscles of the eyeball rest. (Illustration).

2. Protect your eyes

Short sleep can help the eyelid muscles of the eyeball rest, effectively preventing vision loss. At this time, the tear glands also begin to secrete tears, which can help moisturize the eyeballs after working all morning.

3. Enhance memory

Napping can also help you improve your memory, because napping can not only form fragmented memories into network-structured memories, but also transform information from short-term memory to long-term memory. while sleeping.