Afternoon cat nap may cut heart attack risk

NEW YORK: Sleeping a little over half an hour in the middle of the day may reduce the risk of death from heart disease, particularly in healthy young men, say researchers.

Naps - known as siesta - are often taken early afternoon after a midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in hot countries.

Dimitrios Trichopoulos from the Harvard School of Public Health and other researchers looked at 23,681 men and women aged between 20 and 86 who did not have a history of heart disease or any other severe condition, reported the online edition of BBC News.

The six-year Greek study took into account ill health, age, and whether people were physically active. Participants were also asked if they took midday naps and how often, and were asked about dietary habits and physical activity.

The researchers found those who took naps of any frequency and duration had a 34 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease than those who did not take midday naps.

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