Sleeping during the day ups mortality risk in older women

Washington, Mar 5 (ANI): A new study has found that older women who take daily naps are at a greater risk of dying.

Researchers have found that women who reported napping daily were 44 percent more likely to die from any cause while 58 percent more likely to die from cardiovascular causes

Also 59 percent were more likely to die from non-cardiovascular, non-cancer causes.

The study involving 8,101 Caucasian women aged 69 and older that showed that those who reported sleeping between 9-10 hours per 24-hour period also had a greater risk of mortality compared to those who slept between 8-9 hours.

The association was strongest for cardiovascular-related mortality.

However, researchers urge that the results should not be interpreted to mean that napping causes poor health outcomes, and it is not recommended that older adults avoid napping.

Napping and long sleep duration may be caused by sleepiness due to underlying sleep disorders or other medical conditions.

"Since excessive sleep suggests that night time sleep is disrupted, interventions to treat sleep disorders and improve sleep quality in older women may reduce mortality risk," said Katie L. Stone, co-author of the study.

However, further studies are required to explain why napping is linked with increased risk of death.

This study is published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. (ANI)