So how do naps help?
Research has shown naps help to move short-term memories into longer term ones which researchers suspect may be one of the primary functions of daytime napping in pre-school children!
When we sleep, we process all the experiences that have happened during the day and learn from them. We do this by creating new connections in our brain. During sleep, our memories consolidate, which means they transfer from short-term to long-term memory. This process allows us to increase our cognitive ability, enabling us to reason, problem solve, plan, comprehend and learn, creating our IQ…amazing!
I know sometimes it can feel restrictive to have each nap at home day in day out. This post is not designed to make you feel that you can’t go out at nap time, or have naps on the go; it is simply just trying to highlight the benefits of napping in general and respecting our children’s need for sleep during the day as well as at night.
If you are having problems with your child’s daytime sleep or quality sleep has become challenging in your home, find out more about my services here. To talk to me in person, click here to book in your free 15-minute consultation and find out how we can help your unique situation.
Jen xx
References
MA, Dr. Rebecca Spencer, a professor of Psychological and Brain Science, University of Massachusetts. Laboratory studies how sleep make learning and memory better. 2019.
Lukowski AF, Milojevich HM. Sleeping like a baby: Examining relations between habitual infant sleep, recall memory, and generalization across cues at 10 months. Infant Behav Dev. 2013 Jun;36(3):369-76. Doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2013.02.001. Epub 2013 Apr 9. PMID: 23578887.
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