A Daytime Nap Is Good for the Brain

Metadata

• Author: By James Gallagher
• Full Title: A Daytime Nap Is Good for the Brain
• URL: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-65950168

Highlights

Regularly finding time for a little snooze is good for our brain and helps keep it bigger for longer, say University College London researchers. The team showed nappers’ brains were 15 cubic centimetres (0.9 cubic inches) larger - equivalent to delaying ageing by between three and six years. However, the scientists recommend keeping naps to less than half an hour. (View Highlight) Keep naps to less than half an hour

The brain naturally shrinks with age, but whether naps could help prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s will still need extra research. (View Highlight)

The researchers suggest poor sleep is damaging the brain over time by causing inflammation and affecting the connections between brain cells. “Thus, regular napping could protect against neurodegeneration by compensating for deficient sleep,” researcher Valentina Paz said. (View Highlight)