During the first year of life, naps are crucial for babies (who simply cannot stay awake for more than a couple of hours at a time), and crucial for parents and caregivers, who need breaks from the hard work of caring for an infant.
But as children become toddlers and preschoolers, naps aren't always straightforward. Children often fight them (following the "you snooze you lose" philosophy), and they can conflict with daily tasks (such as school pick-up when there are older siblings) or lead to late bedtimes.
Here are some tips for making naps work for you and your child — and for knowing when they aren't needed anymore.
Making naps work for your baby
Most infants will take at least two naps during the day, and early in toddlerhood most children will still take both a morning nap and an afternoon nap. Naps are important not just for physical rest and better moods, but also for learning: sleep allows us to consolidate new information. As children get older, they usually drop one of the naps, most commonly the morning nap.
Every child is different when it comes to napping. Some need long naps, some do fine with catnaps, some will give up naps earlier than others. Even within the same family, children can be different. A big part of making naps work is listening to and learning about your child's temperament and needs. Otherwise, you can end up fighting losing battles.
The needs of a parent or caregiver are also important: everyone needs a break. Sometimes those breaks are particularly useful at specific times of the day (like meal prep time). While you can't always make a child be sleepy at the most convenient time for you, it's worth a try — which leads me to the first tip:
Schedule the naps. Instead of waiting for a child to literally drop and fall asleep, have a regular naptime. We all do better when our sleep routines are regular, even adults. If you can, put the child down awake (or partially awake). Learning to fall asleep without a bottle or a breast, or without being held, is a helpful skill for children to learn and can lead to better sleep habits as they grow.
A couple of scheduling notes:
- If you need a child to fall asleep earlier or later than they seem to do naturally, try to adjust the previous sleep time. For example, if you need an earlier morning nap, wake the child up earlier in the morning. It may not work, but it's worth a try.
- Naps later in the afternoon often mean that a child won't be sleepy until later in the evening. That may not be a problem, but for parents who get tired early or need to get up early, it can be. Try to move the nap earlier, or wake the child earlier. If the problematic afternoon nap is in daycare, talk to the daycare provider about moving or shortening it.
Create a space that's conducive to sleep. Some children can sleep anywhere and through anything, but most do best with a space that is quiet and dark. A white noise machine (or even just a fan) can also be helpful.
Don't use screens before naptime or bedtime. The blue light emitted by computers, tablets, and phones can wake up the brain and make it harder for children to fall asleep.
When is it time to give up naps?
Most children give up naps between the ages of 3 and 5. If a child can stay up and be pleasant and engaged throughout the afternoon, they are likely ready to stop. Some crankiness in the late afternoon and early evening is okay; you can always just get them to bed earlier.
One way to figure it out, and ease the transition, is to keep having "quiet time" in the afternoon. Have the child go to bed, but don't insist on sleep; let them look at books or play quietly. If they stay awake, that's a sign that they are ready to stop. If they fall asleep but then end up staying up very late, that's another sign that the afternoon nap needs to go.
Whether or not your child naps, having some quiet time without screens every afternoon is a good habit to get into. It gives your child and everyone else a chance to relax and unwind, and sets a placeholder not just for homework but also for general downtime as children grow — and just like naps for babies, downtime for big kids is crucial.
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FAQs
Some experts recommend naps should last no more than 30 minutes. The limit is 60 minutes, because longer naps have been linked to a higher risk of health problems like cardiovascular disease. Try to schedule your naps and not wait until you get sleepy, which will prevent you from napping too late in the day.
Does a 30 minute nap actually help? ›
Research shows that 10- to 30-minute power naps are refreshing and can make a person feel more awake. In particular, napping for less than 20 minutes. View Source improves alertness and functioning right away with little or no grogginess after waking up.
Is a 2 hour nap too long? ›
The ideal nap length is either a short power nap (20-minute nap) or up to 90 minutes. A two-hour nap may leave you feeling groggy and hamper your normal sleep cycle. Generally, you want to nap for less than an hour and take it earlier in the day (such as before 2 or 3 p.m.).
What is the argument for naps? ›
A midday nap can enhance alertness, mood, memory, and reduce stress. Choose a comfortable, quiet spot and time your naps well to avoid grogginess. The ideal nap length, between 20 and 30 minutes, should help you wake up feeling refreshed without falling into deep sleep.
What is a downside to naps? ›
Napping can also have negative effects, such as: Sleep inertia. You might feel groggy and disoriented after waking up from a nap. Nighttime sleep problems.
Is it normal for a 60 year old to take naps? ›
Older adults are more likely to take naps during the daytime due to age-related changes in circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. Cultural beliefs, chronic conditions, medications, and lifestyle changes can also contribute to daytime napping. Napping may impact health outcomes among older people.
How long is a military nap? ›
Everyone loves a good nap, but how long should the typical nap be? According to former Navy Seal Jocko Willink, a mere 8-minute nap is the perfect amount for a mid-day rest. Willink's napping method has gone viral on TikTok.
Is a 5 hour nap bad? ›
Naps for adults should be no more than an hour and probably best kept to the 15- to 20-minute range. Anything beyond that – especially considering the time of day – could have consequences. We caught up with sleep medicine specialist Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, DO, MS, for more insight on how long your nap should be.
What is the 2 hour nap rule? ›
Limiting naps to 2 hours long also offers more time during the day for tummy time as well as getting outside and exposing your baby to natural light, which is key for helping your baby learn to distinguish day from night.
What time should a 70 year old go to bed? ›
What Does Sleep Look Like in Older Adults? According to their internal body clock, most older adults need to go to sleep around 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. and wake up at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. Many people fight their natural inclination to sleep and choose to go to bed several hours later instead.
While a 30- to 90-minute nap in older adults appears to have brain benefits, anything longer than an hour and a half may create problems with cognition, the ability to think and form memories, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Do 50 year olds need naps? ›
Babies and young children do it every day, but they're not the only ones who can benefit from a little extra sleep in the middle of the day. In fact, as we get older, the idea of an afternoon nap may not just be enticing, it may also boost your brain and body. “A nap is refreshing at any age,” says Timothy A.
Are naps really good for you? ›
Studies show that an afternoon nap is great for adults, too. There's no need to feel lazy for indulging in daytime sleep. A short nap in the mid-afternoon can boost memory, improve job performance, lift your mood, make you more alert, and ease stress. Cozy up to these nap benefits.
Do naps increase IQ? ›
While a 30- to 90-minute nap in older adults appears to have brain benefits, anything longer than an hour and a half may create problems with cognition, the ability to think and form memories, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Are naps actually good for us sleeping with science? ›
Regular naps are good for the long-term health of our brain, research shows. Habitual napping may help keep our brains bigger for longer and boost its overall health, according to a 2023 study by researchers at University College London (UCL) and the University of the Republic in Uruguay.
Do highly successful people take naps? ›
Successful Sleep
The most successful inventors, creatives, and business people in history slept at some point in the day. It may not have been eight straight hours, or even four. Sometimes, their sleep comprised of several cat naps.
