Daytime sleep is critical for effective learning in young children

Few features of child-rearing occupy as much parental brain space as sleep, and with it the timeless question: Is my child getting enough?

Despite the craving among many parents for more sleep in their offspring (and, by extension, themselves), the purpose that sleep serves in young kids remains something of a mystery—especially when it comes to daytime naps. Do they help children retain information, as overnight sleep has been found to do in adults? A study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences provides the first evidence that daytime sleep is critical for effective learning in young children.

Read More: Science Magazine