Frequent or longer naps in older age may signal declining health, study suggests

• A new study highlights that older adults tend to nap more often, for longer, and earlier in the day as they aged.
• Notably, the study links increases in nap duration and frequency over time to a higher risk of death.
• While the association does not prove causation, it suggests that changes to nap patterns may reflect underlying health decline or disrupted body rhythms.
• Monitoring shifts in daytime napping could serve as a simple early warning sign to identify older adults who may need further medical evaluation.

Napping is a fairly common practice among U.S. adults, with estimates suggesting that roughly half of middle- and older-aged Americans report regular daytime napping. Other studies consistently report that napping is more common in older adults than in other age groups.

Like most adults, older individuals require about 8 hours of sleep for optimal health. However, multiple factors, such as age-related changes in circadian rhythm and sleep patterns, health conditions, medications, cultural beliefs, and lifestyle changes, can make sleep difficult and may contribute to a higher prevalence of napping.

Napping may relate to multiple health outcomes in older adults and could offer a modifiable behavioral factor that impacts health. However, research on napping in older adults has yielded mixed results, with some suggesting that infrequent short naps may be beneficial, while others suggest that frequent longer naps may be detrimental.

Now, a new long-term study published in JAMA Network Open, suggests that changes in daytime napping habits among older adults could serve as an early indicator of underlying health issues or increased risk of death.