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It’s siesta time
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An afternoon nap could be good
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Anew study has found that taking an afternoon nap could reduce blood pressure, consequently cutting down the risk of heart attacks. Researchers at the Liverpool John Moore University in Liverpool, U.K., have discovered that the time just before one f
alls asleep in the afternoon is the most beneficial in reducing blood pressure and lessening the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Afternoon naps, or siestas are typically short naps or rest periods of no more than an hour that are taken in the afternoon. While earlier studies on siestas have found that this practice may slightly increase the risk of heart attack, the new study has shown an inverse relationship between siesta taking and fatal heart attacks. According to the researchers, change in blood pressure is the key factor linking afternoon naps to cardiovascular function.
For the study, the researchers tested nine healthy volunteers (eight men, one woman) who did not routinely take afternoon naps. During one afternoon session, the volunteer spent an hour resting, lying face-up in bed. During another session, the volunteer spent an hour relaxed, but standing. And in one session, the volunteer was allowed an hour to sleep, lying face-up. During the sleep stage, the researchers measured the volunteer’s different stages of sleep.
After analysis, they found a significant drop in blood pressure during the sleep trial, but not during the resting or standing trials. This drop in blood pressure occurred mostly after lights out, just before the volunteer fell asleep. The study is published in the online edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology.
ANI
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