Preparing To Nap Lowers Blood Pressure

Waiting for a nap gives the same benefits as a few minutes of sleep, researchers said.

Researchers at Liverpool John Moores University in England wanted to follow up on previous work that showed that siestas or naps lower the risk of fatal heart attacks. And other work had shown that nighttime sleeping reduces strain on the heart.

In the new study, researchers tested nine healthy volunteers who did not routinely take afternoon naps. They were checked three times, once while resting in bed, once while standing and once while sleeping.

A drop in blood pressure was seen during the sleep session, but it mostly took place during the minutes between when lights were turned off and the volunteer fell asleep.

The report can be found in the online edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology.