The relationship between napping and health, particularly its connection with obesity, is conditioned by genetic factors and the duration of this habit. This has been highlighted during the XX National Congress of the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity (SEEDO), held in Santiago de Compostela.
Although the habit of napping has cultural and social components, its practice is also influenced by genetics. According to M.arta Garaulet, professor of Physiology at the University of Murcia“different studies carried out on twins have shown that the propensity to nap is heritable.”
Genome-wide research has identified genes related to this tendency, which explains why some people nap more frequently than others.
This finding shows that genetic predisposition to napping can influence the impact of this habit on health. «If a person has a high genetic propensity, la nap tends to be beneficial. However, for those who lack this predisposition, napping could increase the risk of obesity,” says Garaulet.
The duration of the nap is another crucial factor. A short nap, less than 30 minutes, is beneficial, while long naps are associated with a higher risk of abdominal obesity and metabolic disorders.
According to Garaulet, this occurs because the long naps They affect adipose tissue, decreasing the expression of metabolic genes related to lipid, insulin and circadian metabolism by 83%.
Sleep inertia
Furthermore, the so-called “sleep inertia phenomenon”, characterized by a feeling of confusion when waking up from a long nap, aggravates the problem. For this reason, Garaulet advises scheduling short naps and avoiding them in bed to limit these consequences.
Studies show that the impact of napping on obesity varies across cultures. In countries without a nap tradition, such as England, this habit is associated with obesity. However, in Spain, where napping is common, no direct relationship has been found between the frequency of this habit and the risk of obesity.
Nighttime sleep patterns are also marked by genetics. Some people, thanks to their genetics, can have short but restful sleep. However, in general, insufficient sleep is associated with alterations in abdominal adipose tissue, insulin resistance, and hormonal changes that increase appetite.
In Spain, thelack of sleep is a growing problemespecially among adolescents, which exacerbates the risk of obesity and other metabolic problems. «Sleep is a fundamental pillar of health. It is essential that it is sufficient and of quality,” concludes Garaulet.
#nap #Monitor #risk #developing #obesity
