While night time sleep is important, daytime naps matter just as much. Naps work wonders for children and it helps put them in the best mood.
Here are the suggested amounts of hours a child can take for a daytime nap.
Newborns:
At this age until about 3months, infants are practically napping machines who sleep up to 18 hours a day, so any amount of nap time in the day, is good for a newborn.
Babies:
At this stage till they’re about a year old, babies will require at least 2 to 4 naps a day for about 30minutes to 2 hours a time.
Toddlers:
At this age, toddlers would probably only be napping at least once a day. These naps can go up to 3 hours and usually takes place in the earlier part of the afternoon.
Preschoolers:
As children grow, not many of them will want to nap, especially since it may keep them awake longer at night. So compensate the loss of nap time with an earlier bed time to ensure your child gets at least 10-12 hours of sleep a day.
School aged children:
After 5 years old, most children don’t need naps. But a midday shut eye can work wonders for your children and teens in their homework and physical activities. So teach them to nap for about 30minutes a day just to avoid it from messing with their nigh time sleep.
It is not uncommon for parents to be concerned that a day time nap can affect their children’s sleep routine at night. But as children grow and develop, naps provide their bodies and minds with time to rest and recharge during those recovery periods. Here are more reasons why naps are important for your children:
Naps help boost the learning experience
In a recent study on preschool children, children who took naps daily showed astounding results in a memory game compared to their peers who did not get any afternoon nap.
Naps keep children fit
Believe it or not, the lack of sleep can cause obesity. Research shows that children with lack of sleep or got irregular sleep showed higher potential of obesity. This is due to the constant snacking that children resort to when they don’t get enough sleep. Being tired and lethargic also contributes to children snacking on foods that aren’t very healthy and skipping on exercise or any sort of physical activity.
Naps leave them in better moods
Just like adults, the lack of sleep can cause a child to be moody, more anxious and easily frustrated. Studies show that toddlers who skipped on naps had more tantrums and tears compared to days when they had their daily naps.
As children grow, it may be harder to get them to nap. However, here are some tricks and tips that you can try to help make your child’s naptime a little easier.
Set a consistent nap time everyday
Children thrive on routine, so make your child’s nap time consistent. Putting them to sleep at the same time daily allows your child’s body to get used to being sleepy at the same time, making it simpler and hassle free to get them to nap every day.
Set the mood for a better sleep
Know what your child enjoys when you put them to sleep. A nice warm wind-down routine such as a warm beverage, a warm cuddle, followed by a back rub may put them in just the right mood to fall sound asleep. Keep your room cool and distraction free and ensure that they nap in the same place every day, for consistency.
Set a limit on the number of nap hours
Research shows that longer and later naps make it difficult for a child to fall off to sleep at night. So put a limit to the number or hours that your child is allowed to nap for and keep it earlier in the day to ensure they have no difficulties falling off to sleep at night.
Equipped with these simple tips, we hope that you too can now be on your way to ensuring your child get the nap they deserve daily. When your child sleeps, you can too. Similarly, when your child sleeps well, it’ll boost their moods, and happy baby equals happy parents!
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