Study shows daytime naps reduce brain aging by 6 years and increase brail volume.
Taking regular daytime naps might be doing more than just recharging your energy—it could be keeping your brain younger.
A study published in Sleep Health found that people with a genetic predisposition for habitual napping had larger brain volumes compared to those without.
Researchers from University College London, the University of the Republic in Uruguay, and the Broad Institute analyzed data from nearly 380,000 people and found that those genetically inclined to nap had a brain volume roughly equivalent to being 2.6 to 6.5 years younger.
Since brain volume often declines with age, this finding raises the possibility that napping could offer protective benefits for brain health.
The study used a method called Mendelian randomization to minimize confounding factors and focus on the role of genetics in nap frequency. While the results show a strong association, experts caution against drawing firm conclusions just yet. The study didn’t directly assess nap behavior or cognitive function, and factors like nap duration, quality, and frequency were not standardized. Still, scientists believe naps containing slow-wave sleep—the deep sleep associated with memory and detoxification—may help protect the brain from age-related decline. More research is needed, but for now, that afternoon nap might be doing more than you think.
paper
Paz, V. et al. (2023). Genetic liability to daytime napping and brain health outcomes: A Mendelian randomization study. Sleep Health.