Key Takeaways:
- Increased Mortality Risk: For every additional hour of daytime napping, researchers observed a 13% increase in the risk of death, while each extra nap session added a 7% risk.
- Timing Matters: Morning naps (between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.) were linked to a 30% higher mortality risk compared to naps taken later in the afternoon.
- Symptom, Not Cause: Experts emphasize that napping itself isn’t necessarily harmful; rather, it likely reflects underlying issues like heart disease, cognitive decline, or sleep disorders.
Older adults who take longer, more frequent or morning naps may face a higher risk of death, according to a new study that tracked more than 1,300 people for up to 19 years, strengthening concerns around daytime naps health decline.
Researchers from Mass General Brigham and Rush University Medical Center found that older adults who napped more often, for longer periods or earlier in the day were more likely to die during the study period than those with shorter or afternoon naps. The findings were published Monday in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers Link Longer Naps to Higher Mortality
The study followed 1,338 adults aged 56 and older in northern Illinois. Participants wore wrist activity monitors for about 10 days to track sleep and napping patterns. Mortality data were then followed through April 2025, offering new insight into daytime naps health decline trends.
Researchers found that each additional hour of daytime napping per day was linked to about a 13% higher risk of death. Each extra nap per day was tied to a roughly 7% higher risk. People who usually napped in the morning had a 30% higher mortality risk than those who napped later in the day.
The study found no clear link between irregular nap schedules and higher mortality.
Wearable Devices Help Track Sleep Habits
Lead author Chenlu Gao said the findings stand out because they rely on objective measurements rather than self-reported sleep habits.
“Our study is one of the first to show an association between objectively measured nap patterns and mortality,” Gao said. “There is immense clinical value in tracking napping patterns to catch health conditions early,” especially in identifying risks related to daytime naps health decline.
The researchers used data from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, an ongoing study that began in 1997 and focuses on aging, memory and neurodegenerative disease. Participants were largely older white adults living in northern Illinois.
The team measured nap length, frequency, timing and day-to-day consistency. Morning naps were defined as those taking place mainly between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., while afternoon naps occurred later in the day.
Experts Say Naps May Reflect Underlying Illness
Researchers cautioned that the study does not prove naps cause poor health or death. Instead, they said excessive napping may be a sign of other health problems, such as heart disease, sleep disorders or cognitive decline, reinforcing concerns about daytime naps health decline.
“It is important to note that this is correlation, not causation,” Gao said. “Excessive napping is likely indicating underlying disease, chronic conditions, sleep disturbances, or circadian dysregulation.”
Among the participants, the average age was about 81, and nearly 70% died during the follow-up period. Researchers said the results remained consistent even after accounting for factors such as existing health conditions, nighttime sleep and cognitive impairment.
The authors said wearable devices that track sleep could eventually become a useful tool for identifying older adults at greater risk of health decline.
