You Might Want to Think Twice Before You Take That Nap, Says Science
We’ve all been there: You get home from work, and you’re just SO. TIRED. So you lay down just to “rest your eyes” for a few minutes… annddddddd before you know, you’re completely and totally passed out. Heck, some people aren’t even waiting until they get home to get their naps on!
Ah, well. No harm in a little nap now and then, right? With an entire day devoted to the activity, it can’t be all that bad! Actually, according to a new study conducted by the American College of Cardiology, it kinda’ sorta’ is.
In a study of more than 300,000 people, those that took regular naps of just 40 minutes or more were found to have significantly increased their risk for metabolic issues, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and extra fat gain around the waist. (Eeeeep!)
What’s more, those who slept for even longer periods of time (90 minutes or more) increased their risk for type 2 diabetes by 50% — a pretty terrifying stat, indeed.
This has to be some kind of a sick joke, right? Unfortunately not, but the one saving grace may be that these findings only applied to individuals indulging in longer naps — those who slept for 30 minutes or less actually saw decreases in metabolic risks.
As big nap advocates, we’ve gotta’ say, we’re a little bummed about this one. While we won’t be giving up naps entirely, we’ll certainly be more conscious of how long we sleep from here on out. So long, snooze button — ye served us well!
Will this news affect your napping habits? Let us know over @BritandCo!
(h/t Cosmopolitan, photos via Getty)