In today’s fast paced world, children are often encouraged to stay busy, balancing school, extracurricular activities, and social engagements. However, amidst these busy schedules, one simple yet essential practice can have a profound impact on their physical and cognitive development. While many parents and caregivers may see naps as an optional luxury, research has shown that they are a crucial component of a child’s overall well- being. From enhancing memory and learning to boosting mood and physical health, naps are far more than just a break from daily activities- they are a vital part of growing up.
Daytime naps have many benefits including: Improved cognitive function, enhanced mood and emotional regulation, physical health benefits and restoration of energy. Daytime naps have been related to cognitive functions, emotional processing, and self-regulation, as well as health-related factors such as the immune, neuroendocrine, and cardiovascular systems (Faraut et al., 2017). It is well established that sleep plays an important role in cognitive functioning in children, and an increasing number of studies carried out with children support this conclusion. In most of the experimental studies considered, a beneficial or a crucial role for naps was found, particularly with respect to generalization, as well as retention. Napping seems to provide an optimal environment for consolidating memories, perhaps because it protects fragile memories from interfering stimuli ( Horvath & Plunkett et al., 2018) Napping is the core of infant sleep and remains an essential part of many children’s sleep diet until they begin kindergarten ( Mednick. S et al., 2013). Napping is significantly associated with higher happiness, grit, and self-control, reduced internalizing behavior problem, higher verbal IQs, and better academic achievement ( Liu et al., 2019)
CONSIDERATIONS:
- Timing and Duration: Naps can be short ( 15 to 30 minutes) or longer, both short and long naps can increase alertness and be useful. A brief nap can increase alertness for a couple of hours after the nap, with less grogginess, and does not disrupt subsequent sleep at night because it does not reduce the homeostatic buildup of pressure for sleep ( Achermann P et al., 2004)
- Age factors : As children get older, their need for naps decreases. Infants and toddlers may require two naps a day, but by preschool age, many children only need one nap.By the age of 5 or 6, many children no longer require regular naps, although a brief rest period can still be beneficial.
- Infants ( 0-3 months) : 14 – 17 hours. Infants tend to sleep on and off around the clock, waking often to feed.
- Infants( 4-12 months) : 12-16 hours. Around 4 months of age, sleep rhythms become more set. Most babies sleep longer at nights and have 2-3 daytime naps.
- Toddlers ( 1-2 years): 11-14 hours. Young toddlers may still take two naps, but most drop down to one nap a day by 18 months.
- Preschool( 3- 5 years): 10-13 hours. Many preschoolers try to get enough sleep at night, and hence give up on their afternoon nap.
- School age ( 6-12 years) : 9 -12 hours. Kids over 6 should get all their sleep at night
- Sleep Environment : A safe, comfortable, dark and quiet room can help the child feel secure and fall asleep faster.
- Consistency : Having a consistent nap schedule can help establish a regular sleep routine, making it easier for the child to fall asleep during nap time and at bed time.
CONCLUSION:
Afternoon naps offer significant benefits for children, including improved cognitive function, emotional regulation, physical health, and energy restoration. However, like any part of a child’s routine, its essential to find the right balance considering age, timing, and duration, parents ensure that naps contribute positively to their child’s healthier, happier and more balanced growth. However, in certain situations, there are also some negative impacts of afternoon napping in children who may no longer need daytime sleep, to minimize the potential downsides parents should monitor their child’s sleep patterns and adjust napping habits if they notice negative effects on night-time sleep or daily behaviour.
Afternoon napping can have several positive effects on children:
- Improved memory, learning, and consolidate information.
- A short nap can help children feel more refreshed, less irritable, improving their mood and emotional stability.
- Sleep, including naps is vital for growth, as growth hormones are released during rest.
- Boosted alertness and focus : Ability to engage in activities improves after a brief nap.
- Enhanced immune function , making children less susceptible to illness.
Afternoon Napping can have the following negative effects on children:
- Napping for longer hours in the afternoon may prevent kids from getting a good night’s sleep and thus impair mental performance ( Dr Joe McNamara, University of Florida).
- Napping reduced the amount of time spent in both deep and dream sleep and increased amount of time spent in light sleep ( Gary L. Ohio state university)
- Overlapping sleep patterns caused by unnecessary naps may contribute to behavioral issues like irritability, restlessness, or hyperactivity.
REFERENCES:
- Faraut B, Andrillon T, Vecchierini MF, Leger D. Napping: a public health issue. From epidemiological to laboratory studies. Sleep Med Rev. 2017;35:85–10
- Klára Horváth & Kim Plunkett (2018) Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood, Nature and Science of Sleep, , 97-104, DOI: 10.2147/NSS.S126252
- Mednick, S. C. (2013). Napping helps preschoolers learn. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(43), 17171–17172. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1316489110
- Liu, J., Feng, R., Ji, X., Cui, N., Raine, A., & Mednick, S. C. (2019). Midday napping in children: associations between nap frequency and duration across cognitive, positive psychological well-being, behavioral, and metabolic health outcomes. SLEEP, 42(9). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsz126
- Achermann P [2004]. The two-process model of sleep regulation revisited. Aviat Space Environ Med 75:A37-A43.