Daytime Naps Good for Older Children

Back to school means getting children back to their regular sleep patterns, this can be difficult for many.

Naps are a daily part of life in countries like China, Mexico, Greece, and the Philippines, where it lasts from 20 minutes to an hour and maybe even more.

A U.S study from a team of researchers from the University of California (UC) Irvine revealed that an afternoon nap is better for children's mood and memory.

The researchers examined older children aged between 10 to 12 and discovered those who had a midday nap were happier and had more self-control, fewer behavioral issues, and a higher IQ.

Kids aged 6 to 12 years old need 9 to 12 hours of sleep, and even those a little older still need 10 hours, but many children and adolescents are falling short, according to American Academy of Pediatrics.

"Children who don't get enough sleep, the next day they're wired, they're tired, they're anxious," said Pediatrician Dr. Martha Rivera of Optimal Healthcare. "They don't focus in school."

“Naps around 20 to 30 minutes when you get home if you didn't get a good night's sleep could be helpful," she suggests.

"But not much longer than that so you can fall asleep again by 9 p.m.” she added.

Another tip: limit your screen time.

"Do what the farmers do," Rivera said. "Go to sleep when the sun goes down and wake when the sun rises. And do your homework in the morning. You'll be fresher and you'll get twice as much done."

‘Kids older than two don’t need a daytime nap’

New research recently discovered that child's daily nap could actually be impacting their health, according to guidelines released by U.S National Sleep Foundation.

Toddlers need to be getting at least 10 to 13 hours of sleep each day.

Although it's pretty commonplace for youngsters to take a nap in the middle of the day to hit this target, a US study has revealed that this can actually can result in poorer sleep quality overall.