It’s common knowledge that naps are beneficial for growing infants, much like they might have been for you during those late-night study sessions in college. But what exactly makes those midday snoozes so crucial? A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has shed light on this, revealing that naps can significantly enhance memory processing in babies.
The study involved 40 infants, aged 6 and 12 months, and employed a rather unique method. Researchers used a hand puppet with a removable mitten that contained a bell. After engaging with the little ones, the experimenter removed the mitten to demonstrate the sound, then placed it back on the puppet and repeated this several times. Within the next four hours, 19 of the babies took a nap averaging about 106 minutes, while the other 21 napped for less than 30 minutes. After a full night’s sleep, they revisited the puppet game the following day.
The findings were telling: infants who napped longer than 30 minutes were able to replicate the puppet procedure significantly better than their non-napping peers. Experts recommend that babies aged 4 to 12 months should nap for an additional three to four hours during the day, on top of the 11 to 12 hours they should ideally sleep at night. This study is the first to experimentally demonstrate why those naps are so important. We’re crossing our fingers for similar positive results regarding adult napping in future research.
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In summary, napping plays a vital role in enhancing memory for babies, making it clear that those midday ZZZ’s are not just good for them, but essential for their development.
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