Is your infant taking more naps? This could trigger smaller vocabularies and poorer cognition
First Published Aug 1, 2023, 6:01 PM ISTParents commonly worry that their children don't nap as much as is normal for their age or that they nap too much.
Parents commonly worry that their children don't nap as much as is normal for their age or that they nap too much.
According to study from the University of East Anglia in the UK, some kids snooze less frequently because they can better integrate information while they sleep.
Parents were asked questions on their children's sleep habits, focus, memory recall, and the amount of words they could understand and use.
They were also questioned about their neighbourhood, socioeconomic background, level of education, and how much screen time and outdoor activity their children participated in.
Since none of the children in their study attended creche during the lockdown, the researchers claimed that there were fewer disruptions to the kids' regular sleep habits.
According to Gliga's research, the structure of daytime sleep serves as a predictor of cognitive maturation. Older kids showed a higher negative correlation between nap frequency and vocabulary, she added.
Parents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to say that their child's sleep had gotten worse during lockdown, even though the majority of parents claimed that lockdown had no impact on their child's sleep.
The results indicate that children have various levels of sleep requirements; some kids may stop taking naps early since they no longer require them.
The study also demonstrates that in determining a child's sleep requirements, carers should consider the child's mental age rather than their chronological age.