Are daytime power naps good for your brain? Here’s what a new study says

It found that taking regular power naps could slow down brain shrinkage, postponing the ageing process by seven years. Further, the researchers also discovered that the average difference in brain volume or organ size between people programmed to be habitual nappers and those who were not was equivalent to 2.6 to 6.5 years of ageing.

“Our findings suggest that, for some people, short daytime naps may be a part of the puzzle that could help preserve the health of the brain as we get older,” senior author Dr Victoria Garfield from the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health & Ageing at UCL was quoted as saying.

30 minutes of nap during the day can improve brain health and lower the risk of dementia (Source: Getty Images)

Talking about the link between daytime naps and brain health, Dr Pavan Pai, Consultant Interventional Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, said regular power naps can help with large brain volume, which is linked to a lower risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s. They also slow down the rate at which the brain shrinks during ageing. “Thus, one will be able to improve his/her cognitive function and keep the memory intact. Taking a regular afternoon nap may be linked to better mental agility. One will also be able to enhance his/her creative thinking. Afternoon naps may help moderate age-related neuroinflammation,” he said.

The expert added that daytime naps also help boost energy, improve focus and increase attention and mental clarity. “It is better to speak to the doctor and clear all the misconceptions regarding this topic. Ask questions like how many minutes you should take it and when. Ideally, take naps in the early afternoon. It is better to take a quick nap for at least 7-10 minutes and not for an hour. Longer durations can interfere with one’s daily sleep routine.”

Dr Vamsi Krishna Mutnuri, Consultant Interventional Pulmonologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad said naps which last for less than 15 minutes are called brief naps and those which last for more than 30 minutes are called long naps. “Brief naps give instant increased alertness and better cognitive ability but the effect lasts for less than an hour. Long naps improve cognitive ability, memory and alertness for several hours. Naps longer than 90 minutes are not usually good and will only bring drowsiness. These naps usually do not have the advantage of brief and long naps. Naps do their best when taken in the early afternoon,” the expert said.

However, Dr Mutnuri highlighted that this may not be the case with all individuals. “It depends on the normal sleep patterns and diurnal variations of an individual. Too long naps disturb night sleep and cause unwanted effects the following day.”

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