Health · Medical Research · 2 hrs ago
Frequent Daytime Naps Linked to Higher Dementia Risk in Older Adults
US researchers found frequent napping was linked to higher dementia risk in adults aged 65 and older.
They analyzed data from 995 people who did not have possible or probable dementia when the study began.
Over a median follow-up of five years, 41.9 percent were classified as having developed possible or probable dementia.
People who napped every day or most days had a 48 percent higher rate than those who rarely or never napped.
Unintentional naps and naps of 30 minutes or less were also linked to higher rates, though the study does not show that naps cause dementia.
The link may work in either direction: brain changes could lead to more daytime sleep, while sleepiness could also reflect changes in brain health.
The findings add to mixed research on napping and cognitive health, and suggest that frequent daytime naps may be a sign worth paying attention to.
Older adults who napped frequently had a higher rate of dementia during follow-up than those who rarely or never napped, a study found.
Daily or near-daily nappers had a 48 percent higher rate of dementia than non-nappers.
The study analyzed data from 995 US adults aged 65 and older who did not have probable or possible dementia at the outset.
Researchers said the findings show an association, not that napping causes dementia.
They said frequent napping could be a marker of brain changes, and the relationship may work in both directions.
- Who
- Researchers studied 995 US adults aged 65 and older.
- What
- Frequent napping was associated with a higher rate of dementia during follow-up. The study does not show that napping causes dementia.
- When
- The study had a median follow-up of five years. It was published on November 2, 2026.
- Where
- The participants were Medicare beneficiaries in the United States.
- Why
- Researchers said frequent napping could be a marker of brain changes, while neurological changes may also lead to more daytime napping.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
None of the 995 participants had probable or possible dementia.
417 participants, or 41.9 percent, were classified as having developed possible or probable dementia.
ScienceAlert published its report on the study.
- Study participants
- 995 adults aged 65 and older
- Dementia cases
- 417 participants, or 41.9 percent
- Follow-up period
- Median of five years
- Frequent napping
- Daily or most days
- Dementia rate difference
- 48 percent higher for frequent nappers than for people who never or rarely napped
- Short naps
- 30 minutes or less; associated with a 40 percent higher dementia rate than non-napping
What people are saying
More frequent napping could be a marker of changes in the brain, rather than a cause of brain changes that lead to dementia.
As with sleep disturbances, the association between napping and dementia may be bidirectional,