Napping after the age of two would result in poorer quality nighttime sleep, according to a study in Archives of Diesase in Childhood.
The duration and quality of sleep affect children’s development and health, which is why the government has encouraged parents to nap their children.
However, it seems that taking a nap after the age of two will lead to poorer quality sleep, according to a study in Archives of Disease in Childhood, belonging to the group of British Medical Journal.
Researchers reviewed all the studies done on napping in children under 5 years old. Of the 781 screened, 26 were relevant. They found that napping in children over two years of age lengthens the time it takes to fall asleep, and shortens the total nighttime sleep time.
However, the links between napping and deterioration in behavior, development and general health were less clearly established.This is because the children studied in the 26 selected studies were not the same age or the same. nap habits.
“There is a need for more systematic studies that use better designs. For young children with sleep problems, clinicians should investigate their napping habits “, concludes the study.
However, these results do not call into question the value of the nap for toddlers. Indeed, the key to learning and memory lies in the nap, especially if it is long, according to a published study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This study was performed on 216 babies under one year old, and the results indicate that they were unable to remember new tasks if they had not napped long enough after the learning phase.
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