According to research children who take naps are happier, do better in school and have lesser behavioral problems. The naps can last from 30 minutes to a couple of hours, between one to four times per day. This includes babies as well as toddlers. The requirement may change over time. A baby who naps four times in a day may start naping only once when they turn 18 months of age and the duration of the nap may become one to three hours.
Children who do not nap well or have poor quality of sleep may suffer from shorter attention spans and may not have patience to endure simple situations. By three years they may become hyperactive and are likely to be non-adaptive. Napping mostly has REM sleep. This type of sleep is vital for learning as mentioned in other articles. This is where most learning happens. The body of a child needs time to consolidate learning as well as renergize often througout the day.
The children now-a-days may resist naps as they are leading sedentry lives. They do not have enough physical activities and they are not tired mentally to feel sleepy. Phone addiction or watching television excessively may make it difficult of them to fall asleep.
In the fast paced world, it is harder than ever to establish healthy sleep habits for children and at the same time the neccisity for it is more important than ever before.
