Health aNd Fitness Guide

A bit of shut-eye can help shut out blood pressure. Regular siestas of not more than an hour may reduce Blood Pressure in people with hypertension, researchers in Britain have found. Earlier studies had said that taking short nap might slightly increase the risk of heart attack. But newer studies have shown an inverse relationship between siestas and fatal heart attacks.

A recent study by Mohammad Zaregarizi and researchers at the Liverpool John Moores University, UK, has found that the time just before one falls asleep is when beneficial cardiovascular changes take place. Their study gives a detailed description of changes in the cardiovascular function of healthy individuals during daytime sleep. It compares napping with other activities, like standing and lying down without going to sleep.

The researchers tested nine healthy volunteers, comprising eight men and one woman, and found a significant drop in BP among those who took an hour’s siesta lying face-up. This drop in BP occurred mostly just before the volunteer fell asleep. People in many Mediterranean and Latin American countries regularly enjoy siestas.