Advantages And Disadvantages For Children Of Taking A Nap

Is it advisable for children to take a nap? This daytime rest has its advantages and disadvantages. There are many circumstances that influence the decision of the habit one chooses to adopt.

Napping is almost a tradition in many families and communities. However, it often happens that children do not embrace this tradition, as they see it as an interruption of what could be a fun moment for them.

For parents, it is advisable to know the pros and cons of their children taking a nap.

Generally, it is a subject that varies a lot depending on the custom of each family.

In cases where parents tend to rest after lunch, it is highly likely that children will imitate this behavior and make it a habit.

In other cases, especially in families that ignore this daytime rest, children may totally reject sleeping in broad daylight.

What is the most recommended position? Next, we’ll detail the advantages and disadvantages of children taking a nap.

Benefits of taking a nap

1. Recover energy

While it’s an idea that everyone can think of, it’s still a great truth. Children are restless, mischievous and restless by nature.

Therefore, at some point they need to replenish this fuel, which runs out as the day goes on.

Children don’t deplete their energy just running and playing. Childhood is a phase of a lot of cognitive learning, and this also requires consumption.

As a consequence, the corresponding rest is lacking. A nap helps satisfy this need.

2. Improves mood

among the many

benefits

of taking a nap, we find many related to the state of mind.

This brief rest helps children to release tension and reduce anxiety.

Furthermore, as they arrive exhausted at night, they will fall asleep without suffering the nervous episodes of excessive fatigue. Therefore, they will also rest better at night.

3. Boosts memory and learning

While we sleep, a series of very complex neurological processes take place in the brain that, ultimately, are responsible for “processing” previously obtained information.

In children, these processes are much more necessary and important, as they are at a stage where

mind

“it is shaped” according to several factors, such as environment and genetic predisposition.

4. Improves yield

As an almost inevitable consequence of all the above, the fact that children take naps is extremely positive for school performance, sports and other activities they perform.

It’s simple: in addition to keeping a clearer mind, the child will have more energy and more positivism to face each situation.

This equation hardly ever generates a bad result.

Disadvantages of taking a nap

1. Counterproductive if too long

Anything in excess is bad, and naps are no exception.

According to what has been published in recent years, naps that last more than 30 minutes – a number that can be slightly extended in the case of children – negatively affect nighttime rest.

Thus, sleep disorders such as

insomnia

or narcolepsy, among others. Therefore, it is recommended to control and adjust the duration of naps.

2. May cause headache

The so-called hypnotic headache mainly affects adults, but it is also possible that children are genetically predisposed to suffer from it.

Its intensity is usually moderate, but it is enough to take away all the benefits of this restful rest.

3. It can favor the proliferation of certain respiratory diseases

For example, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prohibited from taking a nap.

The argument is that muscle relaxation can occur that interferes with normal breathing. The consequences of this would be poor blood oxygenation,

fatigue

constant and respiratory failure.

However, it is not a risk factor that encompasses all children. It refers only to specific cases.

Advice for children to take a nap

Finally, it is necessary to point out some recommendations that should be followed when making children adopt the habit of taking a nap:

• Not to force. It won’t do any good to “force” them to take a nap. For them to rest, the desire to take a nap is a basic requirement.
• Create the right environment. If you put your child to sleep, but you, your spouse, and her siblings keep making noise all over the house, it is unlikely that she will fall asleep. You must create a calm, low-light environment.
• make the nap a

  habit

  . As it is commonly said, we human beings are “animals of custom”. If the child adopts a lifestyle that includes napping at a certain time, it will be less difficult for him to fall asleep in the afternoon.

In short, the decision will rest with the parents and the children themselves.

The key is to make sure you are doing the right thing for the child’s full well-being.