Adults who nap during the day could be at risk of high blood pressure and strokes, a study has suggested.
Researchers looked at anonymous medical records of nearly 360,000 people in the UK, asking how often they slept during the day.
Over an 11-year period, they found those who had a nap most days had a 12 per cent higher likelihood of having of high blood pressure.
And the same group was 24 per cent more likely to have a stroke.
Although taking a nap itself is not harmful ... poor sleep at night is associated with poorer health, and naps are not enough to make up for that
Dr Michael Grandner,
American Heart Association
"These results are especially interesting since millions of people might enjoy a regular, or even daily nap," said study author Dr E Wang, from Xiangya Hospital Central South University.
Dr Wang and colleagues studied the records of 358,000 people whose data is stored by biomedical database UK Biobank.
All respondents were between 40 and 69, lived in the UK between 2006 and 2010, and did not have high blood pressure, nor had they suffered a stroke. They regularly provided blood, urine and saliva samples, as well as detailed information about their lifestyle.
Fewer than one in 20 adults said they napped most days, and six in 10 said they did so rarely or never.
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In addition to the main findings above, researchers found:
- A higher percentage of common-nappers were men, had generally lower education and income levels than those who rarely or never napped and reported cigarette smoking, drank alcohol daily, experienced insomnia and were snorers.
- Those under the age of 60 who usually napped had a 20 per cent higher risk of developing high blood pressure. After age 60, usual napping was associated with 10 per cent higher risk of high blood pressure.
The findings were published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.
"Although taking a nap itself is not harmful, many people who take naps may do so because of poor sleep at night," said Dr Michael Grandner, a sleep expert and co-author at the American Heart Association.
"Poor sleep at night is associated with poorer health, and naps are not enough to make up for that.
"This study echoes other findings that generally show that taking more naps seems to reflect increased risk for problems with heart health and other issues."
Researchers said it was important to note that their findings showed napping was the result of other health factors. They have not yet discovered the biological mechanism for the effect of daytime napping on blood pressure regulation or stroke.
The study's respondents were mostly middle-aged and European.
In the Middle East, hypertension levels also high, ranging from 20 per cent in Iran to 30 per cent in Oman. Across the Gulf, more than a third of adults have hypertension or diabetes, or both, and the average patient with heart disease is almost a decade younger than in the West.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Juvenile arthritis
Along with doctors, families and teachers can help pick up cases of arthritis in children.
Most types of childhood arthritis are known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis. JIA causes pain and inflammation in one or more joints for at least six weeks.
Dr Betina Rogalski said "The younger the child the more difficult it into pick up the symptoms. If the child is small, it may just be a bit grumpy or pull its leg a way or not feel like walking,” she said.
According to The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in US, the most common symptoms of juvenile arthritis are joint swelling, pain, and stiffness that doesn’t go away. Usually it affects the knees, hands, and feet, and it’s worse in the morning or after a nap.
Limping in the morning because of a stiff knee, excessive clumsiness, having a high fever and skin rash are other symptoms. Children may also have swelling in lymph nodes in the neck and other parts of the body.
Arthritis in children can cause eye inflammation and growth problems and can cause bones and joints to grow unevenly.
In the UK, about 15,000 children and young people are affected by arthritis.
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Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Places to go for free coffee
- Cherish Cafe Dubai, Dubai Investment Park, are giving away free coffees all day.
- La Terrace, Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai, are serving their first 50 guests one coffee and four bite-sized cakes
- Wild & The Moon will be giving away a free espresso with every purchase on International Coffee Day
- Orange Wheels welcome parents are to sit, relax and enjoy goodies at ‘Café O’ along with a free coffee
Second Test, Day 2:
South Africa 335 & 75/1 (22.0 ov)
England 205
South Africa lead by 205 runs with 9 wickets remaining
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
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