Children who nap have longer attention spans and are less irritable than those who are not napping.
Learning happens when children are both awake and asleep. Daily nap time can be beneficial for your children, working wonders for both their mood and yours.
Many parents feel pressure to constantly engage their children in learning activities, believing that every moment must be productive. However, it’s important to recognize that children also need time to unwind and simply be themselves. Over-scheduling can lead to stress and anxiety, both for children and parents. Actively structuring sleep and allowing for nap time is crucial for their emotional and cognitive development.
Naps are valuable and when they are given up – usually sometime after 3 years of age – they should be replaced with a structured quiet time. Children need this time to re-group, as do their parents. This quiet time should be used for looking at books, working puzzles and play that is less active. This is not a time for TV, videos or games. All children need to learn to entertain themselves and quietly play alone.
The Science of Sleep
In young children, sufficient sleep plays a vital role in both cognitive development, strengthening relational memory and facilitating the acquisition of complex motor skills.
Sleep and Memory Formation
While you are constantly processing everything you feel, see, hear, smell and taste during both the day and night, sleep is when the memories you made during the day are consolidated and become more permanent. However, your brain is doing more than just recording what you experienced during the day; it is also making new connections between related events.
Relational memories arise when associations are made connecting related events or attributes (i.e., names with faces). Maxim Bazhenov, a professor of medicine, and Timothy Tadros, a recent doctoral graduate from Bazhenov’s lab at University of California San Diego, published an article describing their theoretical modeling describing mechanisms that can create and strengthen relational memories during sleep.
In some of the behavioral work we were modelling our paper off of, that had people do this associative memory test, they found that the amount of improvement after sleep was correlated with the amount of time they spend in slow-wave sleep.
Sleep and Motor Skills
A study from Northwestern University investigated if execution-based movements could be improved during sleep.
Their research showed that the brain plays through motor skills during sleep, which acts as additional repetition of the mental components of movements, concluding that sleep is essential to support learning novel actions.
How to structure your family’s schedule around nap time
Every child is unique, and when they outgrow their naps is entirely individual. It depends on their energy levels, their overall sleep schedule, and even their family’s lifestyle. For example, if your little one is a high-energy whirlwind who consistently goes to bed around 7 PM, expecting them to also nap during the day might be a bit unrealistic, especially as they approach 3 years old.
On the other hand, if your family enjoys later dinners and your child stays up a bit later, that afternoon nap becomes crucial to prevent over tiredness and meltdowns later in the evening.
What happens when a child doesn’t get enough sleep?
A tired child is often a cranky child due to negative effects on cognitive function and emotional regulation. Consistent nap schedules also contribute to a sense of security and routine, which can positively impact a child’s behavior.
However, balance is key. Just as too little sleep can be a problem, so can too much. Additionally, a lack of physical activity can also contribute to irritability and difficulty focusing.
5 outcomes that can be avoided with structured sleep
- Lack of Attention: Sleep deprivation can impair a child’s ability to pay attention, leading to difficulty concentrating on tasks and following instructions.
- Diminished Problem-solving Skills: Sleep deprivation can negatively impact a child’s ability to think critically, solve problems, and make decisions.
- Increased Irritability: Lack of sleep can make children more irritable and prone to tantrums.
- Amplified Anxiety: Sleep deprivation can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and worry, leading to increased stress and difficulty coping with challenges.
- Elevated Aggression: Insufficient sleep can contribute to aggressive behavior, as children may have difficulty controlling their impulses.
How much should your child be napping?
| 9-12 months: | 10-12 hours of sleep at night plus 2 naps per day on a regular schedule. |
| 15-24 months: | Morning naps are eliminated and will now nap only once each day. Usually 1 nap of 1 1/2 to 2 hours. |
| 24-36 months: | Most children still benefit from an afternoon nap. They usually require 12 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. |
| After 5 years: | Helpful to eliminate the afternoon naps to get better sleep at night. Be careful not to give up naps before your child is ready. |
5 Steps to Creating a Napping Routine at Home
- Create a Calm Environment: Ensure the nap time space is quiet, dark, and comfortable.
- Establish a Pre-Sleep Routine: A consistent routine, such as a warm bath, a story, or a lullaby, can signal to the child that it’s time to wind down.
- Stick to a Schedule: Try to maintain a regular nap schedule, even on weekends.
- Avoid Overstimulation: Limit screen time and other stimulating activities before nap time.
- Consider Bedroom Setup. Some parents opt for a Montessori approach, placing their child’s mattress directly on the floor. This provides easy access and encourages independence, allowing children to feel more in control of their sleep routines. They may feel less “trapped” compared to a cot or bed with safety rails. However, this approach often requires significant parental guidance and consistent routines in the initial stages to establish healthy sleep habits.
