Study Finds Afternoon Naps Associated With Better Cognitive Function in Mature Adults

Napping during the day can improve your mood. Short naps boost energy levels and help get you over the afternoon slump. A new study has found that afternoon napping may also be associated with better cognitive function in mature adults. 

Participants in the study included 2,214 adults over the age of 60. They were classified as afternoon nappers (1,534) or non-napping (680). The researchers administered the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Chinese version of the Neuropsychological Test Battery to assess cognitive function.

Participants in the afternoon napping group were found to better cognitive function in the areas of orientation, language, and memory compared to those in the non-napping group. 

The study was conducted by researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.It was published online ahead of print on January 25, 2021 in the journal General Psychiatry.