Carlos Javier Egea Santaolalla
President of the Spanish Federation of Sleep Medicine Societies, coordinator of the Sleep Alliance Health Group, head of the Pulmonology Service and the Functional Sleep Unit of the Bioaraba Health Research Institute, coordinator of the SEPAR 2025-2026 year of sleep disorders and associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of the Basque Country
This is a good study involving a large number of people, although the conclusion should not be that it is naps that increase the risk of stroke and hypertension. There is evidence that frequent naps of more than 30 minutes are associated with some diseases, including cardiovascular disease. However, such naps are most likely a reflection of insufficient or poor quality night-time sleep. It is quite possible that the increased risk is due to what happens at night, and that the effect of naps is not sufficient to counteract it.
The study has certain limitations, such as the fact that it is based on surveys that do not objectively capture sleep time and quality.
If the study were to send a message, it would be that excessive naps should serve as a warning sign of insufficient night-time sleep.