THE siesta is regarded as part of life in Spain. An afternoon nap is traditionally believed to generate renewed energy for tasks later on.
However, a new study warns that snoozing for more than 40 minutes during the day could be bad for long-term health. The results suggest that longer periods could lead to the so-called metabolic syndrome, also known as Syndrome X, which manifests as a range of problems which can lead to heart problems, stroke and diabetes. These include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, excess body fat and high blood-sugar levels.
A diabetes specialist at Tokyo University has published the results of a study of more than 307,000 patients of both Western and Asian ethnicities. Participants were asked whether they felt sleepy during the day and whether they took daytime naps, with their responses then analysed alongside their history of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
