A nap every few days keeps CVD at bay?

Takeaway

• In the continuing quest to rationalize naps, researchers report that 1 or 2 naps each week is linked to reduced risk for fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.
• Napping more often and duration of naps showed no such associations.

Why this matters

• Napping’s associations with CVD, negative or positive, have been a matter of controversy.
• Most studies use only a binary (nap or not) or duration of napping, rather than examining nap frequency.
• Clinicians can let patients know that periodic napping seems OK.

Key results

• Most people did not nap (58%).
• Vs no napping at all, napping 1-2 times a week was linked to reduced CVD event risk: aHR, 0.52 (95% CI, 0.28-0.95).
• By comparison, napping 6-7 times a week showed no benefit.
• Nap duration showed no associations.

Study design

• Population-based cohort study, Switzerland, 3462 participants with no known CVD, self-reported nap frequency and duration.
• Follow-up, 5.3 years.
• Funding: GlaxoSmithKline; Swiss National Science Foundation; others.

Limitations

• Self-reported nap data.
• Focuses on afternoon naps.