London, March 02: Sleeping for up to an hour during the day is good for the heart and brain A daytime sleep could have cardiovascular benefits according to new research.
A study that looked into the effect of a daytime nap on cardiovascular recovery following a stress test, found that those participants who slept for at least 45 minutes during the day had lower average blood pressure after psychological stress than those who did not sleep.
The study by Dr Ryan Brindle and Dr Sarah Conklin from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania in the US found that long work schedules, shift work, increased anxiety and a greater use of the internet and television late at night – all characteristics of our modern society – have had an impact on nocturnal sleep.
“We no longer sleep as long as we used to: The average sleep duration is now almost 2 hours shorter per night than it was 50 years ago. And this could be impacting our long-term health. For example, sleeping less has been linked to an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular problems generally”, the researchers said.
-Agencies