This 1 Common Sleep Habit Can Be a ‘Red Flag’ for Hidden Heart Disease, Doctor Says

Napping is restorative and relaxing, but it may sometimes be a sign of trouble when it comes to the heart.

The potential benefits of quick naps include increased alertness, improved memory and a better mood, the American Heart Association notes . A short daytime rest can also help you avoid energy drinks .

But there are downsides, too. It all depends on how long you nap, says Dr. Saema Tahir, a sleep and pulmonary specialist in New York City.

Heart Health Tip of the Day: Napping Too Much Can Be a Red Flag

A constant need for extended naps can be the first clue of undetected heart disease, so it's worth mentioning it to your doctor, the doctor says.

"Short naps appear neutral, while long naps are a red flag," Tahir tells TODAY.com of the research on the topic. "Long naps are often a warning sign, not the cause."

Regularly needing them is most closely tied to clogged heart arteries, but also heart attack and heart failure, she notes.

There's also a link with stroke, overall heart disease, and risk factors such as Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Why It Matters

Heart health affects sleep, and vice versa.

"It works both ways. When you don't sleep enough or your sleep is broken, your heart pays the price," Tahir says. "Poor sleep keeps the body in 'fight or flight' mode, raises overnight blood pressure and stresses the blood vessels."

Both too little sleep, less than seven hours , and too much, more than nine hours, plus insomnia and sleep apnea, are tied to higher rates of hypertension, clogged arteries, heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, heart failure and stroke.

"The reverse is also true: Existing heart disease wrecks your sleep," the doctor says.

Sleep apnea is very common in people with heart problems and heart failure, when nighttime breathlessness and chest discomfort keep waking a person up, she notes.

How to Get Started

The American Heart Association lists a healthy amount of sleep — about seven to nine hours — as a key building block of a healthy heart , Tahir points out.

"One of the signs of having poor quantity or quality sleep is definitely excessive, lengthy napping," Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a sleep medicine doctor, previously told TODAY.com .

"(But) if someone just needs a power nap because they didn't get good sleep the last night, there's nothing wrong with that at all."

The best time to take a nap is between noon and 2 p.m., Dasgupta advised.

Here's Tahir's advice:

• Keep the nap under 30 minutes:"Quick naps aren't linked to heart risk, and the risk climbs once naps hit an hour or more," she says, so skip those longer naps.

• Look at your total sleep:"Naps seem to raise risk mostly in people already getting plenty of nighttime sleep. A nap makes the most sense when it makes up for a short night," she explains.

• Be extra careful over age 60:In older adults, even modest napping is linked to higher rates of diabetes, unhealthy cholesterol and metabolic syndrome, the doctor says.

Long naps are tied to trouble, but the research shows patterns, not proof, Tahir notes.

TODAY's Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com