How long should a baby take a nap? The best time for a baby to take a nap

Sufficient sleep is very important for the growth and development of babies. So, how long is a good nap for babies? When is the best time for babies to take a nap? Is the more sleep the better? Let's take a look~

What are the dangers of taking a nap for too long?

Naps are divided into two stages: light sleep and deep sleep. When the baby first lies on the bed, he has not really fallen asleep yet and is in the light sleep stage. After 80-100 minutes, he enters the deep sleep stage. If the nap time is too long, the inhibition process of various brain centers will deepen and the cerebral blood flow will be relatively reduced. At this time, if the baby is suddenly awakened or awakened by external things, the brain will have a temporary lack of blood supply, the nerves will be disordered, and he will feel very uncomfortable. Therefore, the nap time should not be too long.

In addition, if the baby takes a nap for too long, it will disrupt the secretion of gastric juice and affect the digestive function. If the baby takes a nap for 3 hours each time and does not drink water or eat during the nap, after 3 hours, the baby's stomach and intestines will contract due to unsatisfied hunger and the digestive function will deteriorate. Mothers are advised not to let the baby take a nap for too long at noon.

In addition, if the baby sleeps too long, the normal biological clock will be disrupted, and the physiological functions will also be disrupted. In the long run, the resistance will be weakened and the immunity will decrease. It is best for mothers to let their babies develop a good habit of taking a nap. Do not sleep too long, and do not skip a nap. The best nap time is 1-3 hours, and the nap time should be adjusted according to the age. If the baby sleeps too long because of illness, the mother does not need to wake the baby too early. Sleeping more during illness is beneficial to the body's recovery.

How long should a baby take a nap?

Your baby's sleep cycle is controlled by the brain, and naps are part of the natural sleep cycle. As they age, your baby's nap time will change and gradually shorten. How long is a good nap for your baby?

In fact, it is not true that the more a baby sleeps, the more energetic he will be and the better his intellectual development will be. The baby's nap time should not be too long, because it will be difficult to fall asleep at night. Mothers should pay attention to controlling the baby's sleep time, so that the baby can get enough rest and grow up healthily. For example, when the baby is 2-3 months old, the mother lets the baby take a nap for 5 hours; when the baby is 4-6 months old, the mother lets the baby take a nap for 3 hours; when the baby is 1 year old, the mother lets the baby take a nap for 2 hours; when the baby is 2-3 years old, the mother lets the baby take a nap for 1 hour; above 3, the baby's nap time is the same as that of adults, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Children who take long naps sleep less at night and fall asleep more slowly at night. Children who take naps of more than 3 hours sleep nearly 1.5 hours less at night than the average. Also, if they wake up late from naps, they sleep less at night because they stay up late at night or stay awake late at night. Researchers believe that the ideal nap is about 2 hours, and if it ends before 3:30 p.m., it will hardly affect the child's sleep at night. Therefore, families who are troubled by their children's late bedtime should adjust the length and time zone of their children's naps.

When the baby is taking a nap, the mother should pay attention to the indoor temperature. The baby can fall asleep easily at a suitable temperature. The room temperature of 24-25 degrees is the best, and the baby will feel refreshed. On the contrary, a hot environment will make the baby uncomfortable, sweat frequently, and wake up constantly due to heat. In addition to paying attention to the indoor temperature, the mother should also ensure that the room is quiet. The mother should move lightly and speak softly. It is best to turn down the volume of the TV or computer to avoid disturbing the baby. The baby sleeps peacefully and naturally sleeps for a long time. After the baby has had enough rest, the mother should wake the baby up at the right time to help the baby develop a good habit of taking a nap.

The best temperature for nap is 24-25 degrees

Fresh air is an important condition for children to fall asleep quickly, so the indoor temperature should not be too high, and the room temperature is most comfortable at around 24-25 degrees. To give the baby a quiet sleeping environment, parents should move and speak softly, and eliminate all human interference, so that the baby can sleep more soundly.

The benefits of baby naps

For young children, their brains are not yet fully developed and they are easily fatigued, so naps are essential for their healthy growth because children's energy and physical strength do not allow them to skip naps.

Make up for the lack of sleep for children through naps. If children do not take naps, they will not eat well and sleep well, which will affect their growth and development in the long run, and will also affect their intelligence. After sleep, breathing becomes deep and long, heartbeat slows down, and muscles of the whole body are relaxed. At this time, tired cells will get a rest, especially in the hot summer weather, the nights are short and the days are long, which will reduce sleep at night. Therefore, a certain amount of time is needed to make up for sleep. In hot weather, people will drink more water, which will dilute gastric juice, make digestion poor, and reduce appetite.

If you don't take a nap, it will affect the intellectual development of your child. Naps are necessary not only in summer, but also in winter, because after lunch, the stomach needs blood for digestion and absorption, which also causes less blood in the brain. It is easy to get tired, and only by taking a nap can you eliminate fatigue and make yourself energetic. It is beneficial to the healthy growth of children. Don't let children do strenuous exercise before taking a nap. You can arrange quieter activities with less activity: such as listening to stories, listening to music, etc., to keep children emotionally stable and in a good mood. When children are sleeping, teachers should patrol back and forth to observe and understand their sleeping conditions.

On the one hand, you can help the children cover the quilt, and on the other hand, you can observe the children's sleeping posture and help them correct some bad sleeping postures in time. For some children who have no rest habits and have difficulty falling asleep, they are required to keep quiet and not disturb other children's naps. After most people fall asleep, coax them to sleep and develop good nap habits. In addition, after getting up, it is necessary to praise those children who have made progress in naps in time. Timely encouragement and recognition will enhance the children's desire to fall asleep actively and enhance the children's motivation to make progress. In short, naps seem to be a trivial matter, but they play a very important role. It is closely related to the physical health of children. With good sleep, children are energetic, full of spirits, and their quality is also improved.