When and how often you nap could increase your chances of dying, according to researchers

When and how often you nap could increase your chances of dying, according to researchers who tracked 1,400 adults for up to two decades.

While some people swear by a 20 minute power nap, others feels it does nothing but make them feel even more tired than before.

According to the sleep foundation, the ideal nap lasts between 15 and 20 minutes, and should be taken in the early afternoon, ideally between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

The short-term benefits include enhanced alertness, mood, memory, and reduced stress.

But a new study has actually linked how often and when we nap to increased chances of death..*gulp*.

Overall, scientists found that each additional hour of napping per day raised the risk of death by 13 percent, while every extra nap per day raised the risk by seven percent.

The ideal time to nap is early-mid afternoon, according to science. (Getty Stock Images)

The researchers, from Harvard University, tracked 1,400 adults aged 56 years and over for up to two decades.

And over that period, 926 participants sadly died.

While obviously, naps themselves are not causing deaths in high numbers, scientists said they could be a warning sign of an underlying condition that may be disrupting sleep and raising the risk of death.

And the timing of the naps also had an impact.

Those who napped in the morning, when people are usually most alert, had a 30 percent higher risk of death.

The study concluded: "Our study yielded novel insights that early-day naps (when healthy individuals are typically alert) may reflect more underlying health issues.

Napping consistently could indicate an underlying health condition, scientists warn. (Getty Stock Images)

"Sleep disruption... which may manifest as excessive napping, can lead to increased blood pressure and [nervous system] activation."

They added: "Daytime napping may not merely be a compensatory response to nocturnal sleep disruption but may serve as an independent marker for mortality risk."

The participants used for the study were 76 percent female, and nearly all said they took naps daily.

According to doctors, naps in the morning are among the most concerning, because they suggest sleepiness when someone is meant to be most awake.

The study added: "Sleep disruption which may manifest as excessive napping, can lead to increased blood pressure and [nervous system] activation."

Frequent naps have also previously been linked to heart disease, which leads to an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia.