This Common Daytime Habit May Be Linked To A Higher Dementia Risk, Study Finds

HuffPost · Jillian Wilson · 2026-11-05 12:00 UTC

The length of your naps may matter more than you think. Here’s how long experts say you should aim for.

When time allows, napping is a beloved activity among adults of all ages. But not all napping habits are recommended ― in fact, some behaviors may even be a red flag.

A recent study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health linked frequent, unintentional napping in older adults with a higher risk of dementia. The study, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, followed just under 1,000 adults aged 65 and older for 10 years. None of the older adults had dementia at the start of the study.

Participants self-reported their napping habits, including how often they napped, how long they napped, and whether they napped intentionally or unintentionally, which researchers defined as falling asleep without meaning to— such as dozing off on the couch while reading a book.

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