Scientists in Australia studied 32 children between the ages of three and five. First, all of the children were given a test that allowed the scientists to determine which sounds and letters the children could already recognize. Each child then participated in seven sessions lasting two to four weeks. For one week after learning, the children went to sleep and the following week they were allowed to play. At the end of each day, the researchers checked to see how much the children remembered from their morning lesson. The study showed that children who napped during the day performed better on the tests. They also remembered what they had learned the day before the next day.
Previous research has shown that teaching kindergarten children to recognize letters and their sounds helps them learn to read, but until now little was known about the relationship between sleep and literacy skills.
A nap improves concentration and makes it easier to remember
However, the findings of the latest study should come as no surprise, as many scientists have already argued that it is best to sleep to remember the knowledge acquired during the day. Initially, scientists focused on nighttime sleep and proved that people who get enough sleep and sleep an average of seven hours a day have better health.
Over time, more and more studies have emerged that have proven that a nap of several minutes during the day is of great importance for brain function. It will regenerate the body and refresh the mind. During a nap, just like during a night’s sleep, the brain processes the information acquired and organizes it. Based on this, it creates new associations. This means that a person who sleeps for 15 to 30 minutes during the day will become more creative.
A nap, like sleep, improves concentration and makes it easier to remember and retrieve stored information. It is easier to remember things later. Napping not only increases cognitive abilities, but also calms and relieves frustration. This should not be surprising, because the need for rest during the day is a result of the natural circadian rhythm. In the early afternoon, after a meal, the body’s efficiency is reduced and a moment of relaxation is needed. This is how it was centuries ago, when our African ancestors took a break to escape the intense heat.
A nap or how to avoid infections
It’s not just the brain that benefits from brief moments of relaxation. Naps also protect against infections. Scientists at the University of Maryland have genetically modified flies to nap more frequently than regular insects. Those who slept more were less likely to suffer from infections caused by the pathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae and the deadly bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Frequent naps relieve stress and strengthen the immune system. Thanks to this, it has more strength to fight off threats, to defeat pathogenic bacteria and fungi – says Prof. Raimundo St. Leger, an entomologist at the University of Maryland. The evidence comes from studies on fruit flies, but scientists argue that the mechanisms that determine immunity in these insects are similar to ours.
Scientists don’t agree on the length of a nap. Some studies suggest that naps should last 15 to 20 minutes, while others suggest that you can sleep for up to 1.5 hours. Most experts believe that a half-hour nap is ideal. This has the most relaxing and refreshing effect. Shorter naps may not feel rested, while longer naps may make you feel sleepy and take a long time to recover.
