China: Study on Afternoon Napping and Cognitive Function

Results from a recent study demonstrate that older adults who often take afternoon naps have better cognitive function, including language and memory. According to the study results, published in the BMJ journal General Psychiatry, people with a habit of afternoon napping had a higher level of triglyceride than non-napping individuals.

Dementia is a disorder that interferes with domestic, social, and occupational functioning due to a decline in cognitive function. There is currently no effective dementia treatment. By identifying and modifying risk factors, it becomes possible to prevent and delay the occurrence of cognitive impairment. Several studies have shown that afternoon napping promotes cognitive function in the elderly. However, some studies have shown opposite results.

Han Cai, from Geriatrics, The Fourth People's Hospital of Wuhu, Wuhu, Anhui, China, and colleagues further examined the relationship between afternoon napping and cognitive function in the ageing Chinese population.

The study included a total of 2214 elderly participants (napping group: n=1534; non-napping group: n=680). Cognitive evaluations were conducted using the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Chinese version of the Neuropsychological Test Battery, and the Beijing version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Of the total subjects involved, 739 elderly volunteered to take blood lipid tests.

Key Findings of the Study

• Significant differences in cognitive function and blood lipids were observed between the napping and non-napping groups.
• Afternoon napping was associated with better cognitive function, including orientation, language, and memory in the present study.
• Subjects with the habit of afternoon napping also showed a higher level of triglyceride than the non-napping subjects.

"The study's results demonstrate that afternoon napping was associated with better cognitive function, including orientation, language, and memory. Subjects with an afternoon napping habit showed a higher level of triglyceride than non-napping," wrote the authors.

The study titled, "Relationship between afternoon napping and cognitive function in the ageing Chinese population," is published in the BMJ journal General Psychiatry.

DOI: https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/34/1/e100361