Newswise — New research from the University of East Anglia suggests that infants who take frequent naps may experience a negative impact on their vocabularies and cognitive abilities.
Parents worldwide often fret about their children's sleep patterns, concerned that they may be getting too little or too much rest.
However, a recent study highlights that certain children exhibit greater efficiency in consolidating information while sleeping, leading them to take fewer naps.On the other hand, children with smaller vocabularies and lower cognitive skills tend to require more frequent naps. The research team emphasizes that reducing naps for these children would not enhance brain development. Instead, they recommend allowing these children to nap as often and for as long as necessary to support their well-being.
According to Dr. Teodora Gliga, the lead researcher, there is considerable parental concern regarding their children's sleep patterns. Some worry that their kids might not nap enough or nap too frequently and for extended periods.
However, the study reveals that the frequency of a child's naps is linked to their unique cognitive requirements. Some children exhibit better information consolidation during sleep, leading them to take fewer naps.
"Children with limited vocabularies or lower scores in measures of executive function tend to take more frequent naps," added Dr. Teodora Gliga.
She further emphasized that young children have a natural instinct to nap for the duration they require, and it is essential to allow them the freedom to do so.
The research encompassed 463 infants aged between eight months and three years, conducted during the 2020 lockdown period.
The researchers conducted surveys with parents to gather information about their children's sleep patterns, their ability to concentrate on tasks, memory retention, and language skills—specifically, the number of words they comprehended and could articulate.
Additionally, parents were asked about their socio-economic status, which encompassed details such as their postcode, income, and level of education. The surveys also inquired about the amount of screen time and outdoor activities in which their children participated.
Dr. Gliga stated, "During the lockdown, we had a unique opportunity to examine children's inherent sleep requirements. When children are in childcare, they often do not get as much nap time as they truly need. With the closure of nurseries during the lockdown, there was less disruption to their natural sleep patterns. None of the participating children were attending daycare at the time of the study."
"Our findings revealed that the daytime sleep pattern can serve as an indicator of cognitive development," explained Dr. Gliga.
Infants who took more frequent but shorter naps than typical for their age exhibited smaller vocabularies and poorer cognitive function.
Furthermore, Dr. Gliga emphasized that this negative relationship between vocabulary and nap frequency was particularly pronounced in older children.
The research indicated that most parents reported no significant changes in their child's sleep during the lockdown. However, parents from lower socio-economic backgrounds were more likely to report a deterioration in their child's sleep quality.
During the lockdown, screen time increased while outdoor activities decreased. However, these factors did not account for the variations in children's sleep patterns.
Previous studies had suggested that caregivers should encourage regular naps, especially in pre-school children.
"Our findings highlight that children have diverse sleep requirements. Some children may naturally stop napping at an earlier age as they no longer need it, while others might still benefit from napping beyond three years old.
"In the UK, preschools catering to three to five-year-olds generally do not offer nap provisions. Caregivers should consider a child's mental age rather than their chronological age to determine their individual sleep needs," she emphasized.
The research, titled 'More frequent naps are associated with lower cognitive development in a cohort of 8 to 38-month-old children, during the Covid-19 pandemic,' was led by UEA in partnership with researchers from the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, the University of Leeds, and the University of Warwick. The study received funding support from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). It has been published in the journal JCPP Advances.
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