How important is it for minors to take a nap? Research shows that taking a nap is important, but these three things you can’t do

Sleeping takes up nearly half of our time every day, which shows how important sleep is to our body, especially for minors. Because their bodies are in the development period, they need more rest time, and their immunity is not as good as that of adults. Therefore, for minors, the requirements for rest time and rest quality are higher than those for adults. So let’s talk about the precautions for minors in sleep.

First, minors generally sleep longer than adults. The Ministry of Education has set a sleep time limit of 10, 9, and 8 hours for primary, middle, and high school students, respectively [1]. Studies have shown that growth hormone secretion generally reaches its peak one hour after falling asleep, with the peak period being from 10 pm to 1 am [2]. Sufficient and scientific sleep can help children develop well.

Of course, some children are very energetic and will not go to bed late at night or wake up early in the morning. This requires parents to help their children develop healthy sleep times and durations, try to fall asleep before 10 o'clock in the evening, and ensure adequate sleep time. Do not play some cartoons with intense plots for minors before bedtime to prevent children from being too excited and having difficulty falling asleep. Some bedtime stories and songs are effective ways to help them sleep.

Second, minors, especially younger children, have all kinds of strange movements when they sleep. Parents often jokingly say that their children can do a set of Tai Chi after falling asleep, so they often kick the quilt. Moreover, minors have poor immunity, which makes children more likely to catch colds on cold days. If they continue to kick the quilt at night, it will aggravate the condition and prolong the course of the disease, which will not only cause trouble to parents, but more importantly, bring discomfort to children. This requires parents to provide timely supervision and care.

Third, naps are very important. Some adults take naps, but some do not. This depends on their personal circumstances. However, for minors, naps are also very important. Nowadays, kindergartens, elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools and even universities all have "nap" as an item, which shows how important naps are for children. Studies have shown that naps are the most efficient type of sleep. They are very beneficial for making up for sleep time, resting the body, eliminating fatigue, and ensuring efficiency [3]. Therefore, even if students have a lot of learning tasks, naps are always an unshakable item. Therefore, there are many benefits for minors to take naps!

Fourth, healthy sleeping habits. In fact, children are in a special period of physical development, so sleep is not only a means of rest, but also a "powerful pusher" to ensure physical development. However, if the sleeping habits are unhealthy, it will be harmful rather than beneficial for both minors and adults.

We have already discussed good sleeping habits. Here we will talk about some other precautions. For example, some children have developed the habit of not liking to use pillows since childhood, which makes it impossible to maintain the physiological curve of the cervical spine during sleep, which is not conducive to the healthy development of the child's cervical spine. If the pillow is too high, it will also cause excessive bending of the cervical spine, causing muscle fatigue or cervical discomfort, and may also hinder blood circulation in the head, easily causing symptoms such as brain hypoxia, snoring and stiff neck. Minors are still in the growth and development period, and pillows suitable for adults may not be suitable for minors. Therefore, choosing a suitable pillow for children is also one of the effective ways to improve sleep quality. Of course, a suitable sleeping posture and moderate exercise are also very helpful for the sleep of minors.

Finally, there are some other things to note. For example, for infants and young children, parents should take care to prevent the quilt from covering their mouths and noses, causing difficulty in breathing. For children with sleep disorders, in addition to medication, parents can also consider pediatric massage [4]. Some growing adolescents and their parents have also reported that they experience cramps, teeth grinding, joint discomfort, etc. during sleep, which affects their sleep. Therefore, they need to be provided with a healthy diet and adequate nutrition to ensure their development.

At the end of the article, I wish the future pillars of our motherland can have a happy life, comfortable sleep, and healthy growth!

References

[1] Qing Mu, Zhang Xueting. How do countries ensure students get enough sleep? [N]. Global Times, 2021-12-27 (013).

[2] Li Ming. How much sleep is enough for children? [J]. Family Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2005 (11): 62.

[3] Shen Yang. Taking a nap is actually a physical necessity[J]. Marriage and Family (Marriage and Emotion Edition), 2021(12): 62.

[4] Zhang Hongyan. Pediatric massage: a stepping stone for children to grow taller[J]. Chinese Medicine Health and Wellness, 2018, 4(03): 58-59.