Nap - the valuable break also against high blood pressure

Whether the nap has a positive or negative effect on blood pressure has been discussed repeatedly in recent years. Initially, the nap was said to have a positive effect, but this was later disproven. However, recent research is once again in favor of a short nap in the afternoon.

Is the nap an undervalued asset? In our regions, the regular break in the afternoon is only granted to small children. In southern countries, the siesta is still a normal part of the daily routine. Shops are closed during the hot midday hours, and people use this time to take a midday rest.

Those suffering from high blood pressure can take a cue from this, as a study from the Asklepieion General Hospital in Voula shows. The Greek researchers examined 212 individuals with high-normal blood pressure values. The average age of the participants was 62 years. Some of the observed individuals regularly took a nap, while the second group structured their day without this rest period. The nap of the first group lasted between 48 to 54 minutes.

In comparison, the systolic blood pressure values of the participants who took a nap decreased significantly. While the blood pressure of those who did not take a nap remained unchanged as expected, the upper value of the nappers decreased by 3 to 5 mmHg. This corresponds to the reduction that can be achieved by abstaining from alcohol or low-salt diets. A relationship was also observed between the length of the nap and the reduction in blood pressure. For every 60 minutes of napping, the 24-hour average blood pressure decreased by 3 mmHg.

With elevated blood pressure, positive effects on the risk of developing cardiovascular problems can be expected from a reduction of just 2 mmHg.

Nap in the chair for blood pressure reduction

Those who can afford it benefit from a short nap in terms of blood pressure. However, experts recommend that those in the working life should not nap for more than 40 minutes in the afternoon to avoid entering a deep sleep phase. After this, it becomes more difficult to get up and continue working.

Incidentally, the nap has a completely different status in Japan, for example, than it does here. It is quite normal to take a nap in public. In America, many companies have rest rooms with relaxation chairs available for the power nap - the little nap in between. However, even in Germany, the nap is (unfortunately only slowly) losing its image as a sign of laziness in favor of an energizing mini-break, after which one can continue working with renewed strength. This rehabilitation is certainly desirable to counteract high blood pressure and its subsequent diseases.

However, if the nap becomes a necessity or if you find yourself dozing off during the day involuntarily and can hardly manage your daily routine without these short naps, a disturbance of nighttime sleep could be the cause. This should be taken seriously and clarified by a doctor, as sleep disturbances can negatively affect blood pressure.

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This article is from BloodPressureDB the leading app since 2011 that supports hundreds of thousands in blood pressure monitoring every day. Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 02/2024).

Author Sabine Croci is a certified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has been leading the editorial team of BloodPressureDB since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder, and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.

Nap - the valuable break also against high blood pressure

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