Health expert: Taking a nap is normal but not universally recommended

The desire to take a nap in the middle of the day is common among older adults and a short nap is perfectly normal for them. However, older individuals are quite diverse, so such recommendations cannot universally apply to everyone, emphasizes occupational health physician Evelyn Aaviksoo.
Aaviksoo noted that anyone wishing to nap during the day should first consider their overall lifestyle. For example, whether they maintain a healthy diet, get enough fresh air, engage in intellectual activities and sleep adequately at night. "If, on top of that, it seems you want to nap a bit during the day, it's not something that should be prohibited. However, it's not a universal recommendation," the doctor said on the "Terevisioon" program.
She pointed out that the recommendations published last week by the Health Development Institute are partly based on guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of adult sleep disorders. According to these guidelines, if a person over the age of 55 wants to nap during the day, it is considered normal and there is no need to immediately suspect an underlying illness.
At the same time, Aaviksoo mentioned that large-scale studies have found older adults who frequently nap during the day often have shorter lifespans compared to their peers. The underlying mechanism for this is not yet clear. For instance, it is suspected that an increased need for sleep could be a sign of a chronic illness. "If a person is genuinely sleepy during the day and this is unusual and unpleasant for them, it's worth examining their sleep patterns. Various health conditions could be at play. For some people, however, it's entirely natural," the doctor emphasized.
It is also important to remember that short naps can have varying effects on different individuals. Much depends on how long the nap lasts. "Researchers have found that a 10-minute nap immediately improves alertness after waking. However, a 20-minute nap can leave you feeling groggy, with the benefits coming later. This is something everyone has to experiment with for themselves. There are many theories and it's the researchers' job to generalize findings across larger populations and identify the average," Aaviksoo explained.
Even if someone feels that a short daytime nap gives them extra energy, the long-term effects should still be considered, Aaviksoo said. "There are hypotheses about waking up being a very intense process: blood pressure rises, blood coagulation speeds up and many bodily processes accelerate. If someone boosts themselves in this way twice a day, is that really beneficial?" Aaviksoo asked rhetorically. She has personally recommended daytime naps only in exceptional cases, such as for pregnant women.
Instead, people could introduce variety into their work routines according to their schedules. "The human body constantly needs variation: movement, sitting, alertness, activity, moderation. For office workers, if at all possible, take a 15-minute walk outside. For people who are always on their feet at work, we suggest taking a short break in a rest area with warm lighting," Aaviksoo advised.
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Editor: Jaan-Juhan Oidermaa, Marcus Turovski