Never force children to nap on preschool children

Nursing at nursery school only for sleep deficiency
Babies usually show a sleep behavior that does not seem compatible with that of their parents at all. The afternoon nap is fast becoming a solid ritual that many parents use to compensate for their own sleep deficit. For the development of children, the afternoon nap is quite important, but from a certain age this should be set again, experts point out.

"If preschool children sleep long enough at night, they can do without a nap," according to the Association of Paediatricians (BVKJ), in a recent press release. Although the afternoon nap plays a not insignificant role for the child's development, this only applies for a limited period of time. Therefore, preschoolers should not be laid back for a nap if they had enough sleep during the night.

For children over the age of three, nap can be counterproductive if there is no sleep deficit. (Bidl: S.Kobold / fotolia.com)

Sleep behavior changes significantly in the first years
According to the BVKJ experts, parents should "not force their preschool children to take a nap if they no longer want to." The shift of sleep rhythms over the life course is part of our development. For example, neonates need many small sleep stages, but the older babies become, the fewer sleep phases are required during the day, reports the BVKJ. Only a few children would still sleep several times a day at the age of one and a half years. At the age of two, 90 percent of children in Germany still need a nap, with three years only around 50 percent and at five only ten percent of children need it, the experts explain.

Compensation of sleep deficit allowed
The midday nap is important, according to the physicians in children aged two to three, for the processing of emotions and mental development. From the age of about three years influence predominantly "the amount and quality of sleep at night mental development, ability to concentrate and how well something in the memory solidifies." How pre-school or school children need a nap depends, among other things of the Culture to which they belong. So in some cultures (African-American or Asian origin), the children had less sleep and would therefore compensate for their sleep deficit by a nap, reported the BVKJ.

Napping can disturb the night's sleep
However, the total time that children sleep throughout the day and night is similar in most countries. In principle, according to the experts, only children who suffer from a sleep deficit can still benefit from a nap. Children who slept well at night, however, would be disturbed by the obligatory afternoon nap, possibly in their sleep. They show difficulty falling asleep and sleep less at night.

Lie down after lunch
If children actually have a sleep deficit and would like to lie down during the day, the time after lunch is particularly well suited due to the "biorhythm", say the experts of the BVKJ. Often 45 minutes are enough. Anyone who stays too long or wakes up after 3 pm must expect unfavorable effects on the coming night's sleep. (Fp)