Supporting In Learning Process, Know These 5 Benefits Of Napping For Children

Illustration of the benefits of napping for a child's brain (Unsplash/Annie Spratt)

JAKARTA – For children, naps are very meaningful. Not only to restore energy after a long day of playing and studying, but also to improve the memory consolidation of his brain.

In more detail, reported by Motherly, Thursday, February 10, the following is how it works and the benefits of napping for children.

1. The body rejuvenates and grows during sleep

Growth of body systems and limbs, develops during sleep. During sleep, the body rejuvenates cells and supports bone growth. Napping is also important for healthy brain development. Overall sleep deprivation can threaten our ability to learn by compromising the process of memory formation.

2. Napping supports learning in children

One study found that napping in preschoolers supports learning by increasing memory acquired the previous day compared to the same time spent waking up.

3. Better visual-spatial ability

For children who took a nap, visual-spatial abilities were significantly better in the afternoon after the nap. Taking regular naps will have a beneficial effect on children regardless of their age.

4. The benefits of naps cannot be replaced

If you think that napping can be replaced with an earlier night's sleep so that the time is longer, it turns out that you are wrong. A study shows that there appears to be an additional benefit of sleeping that occurs in between learning. That is, a night's sleep is already beneficial if you add a nap then more benefits will be obtained.

5. Naps are useful for memory consolidation

Consolidation or physical changes in the brain that store memories after something is learned, according to research is one of the main functions of napping in preschoolers. During sleep, what happens during the day is processed by creating new neural connections. Memories are compressed and connected with short-term memory to long-term memory.

The process, called memory consolidation, involves structural and chemical changes in brain tissue cells. Stored memories are useful for cognitive development, such as the ability to reason, solve problems, plan, understand, and learn from experience, all of which are summarized to form IQ.

In a study published in the journal Oxford Academia, researchers found that not giving yourself a chance to take a nap had a direct effect on academic performance. These effects were experienced by children without a history of behavioral problems or academic difficulties.