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Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
Published on: October 2, 2019
Many naps, one nap, none: A systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0-12 years
Sally Staton1, Peter S Rankin1, Mollie Harding1
1Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Australia.
Insights
Most children stop napping by age five, marking a key developmental milestone. This study analyzes global data to understand childhood napping cessation patterns and duration.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Sleep Science
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Monophasic sleep onset is a critical developmental milestone in childhood.
- There is a lack of consensus on the age at which children typically stop napping.
- Understanding napping patterns is crucial for assessing child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review global evidence on childhood napping patterns.
- To meta-analyze data to describe napping cessation and duration in children aged 0-12 years.
- To identify the typical age range for napping cessation.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search for original research articles on children's napping patterns by age.
- Quality assessment of included studies.
- Meta-analysis of eligible studies to determine patterns of napping cessation and duration.
Main Results:
- Less than 2.5% of children cease napping before age 2.
- Approximately 94% of children stop napping by age 5.
- The preschool period (3-5 years) shows significant variation in napping cessation, suggesting ecological influences.
Conclusions:
- Napping cessation typically occurs between ages 3 and 5, with most children transitioning to monophasic sleep by age 5.
- High heterogeneity in study methodologies and high risk of bias were noted.
- Further research is needed to explore mechanisms behind individual napping variations and their role as developmental markers.
Abstract:
The onset of monophasic sleep, in which napping ceases and sleep consolidates into a single night period, is a key developmental milestone of childhood. Yet to date, there is little consensus regarding the timing of cessation of napping in children. The aim of the current study is to examine global evidence regarding napping patterns in childhood, and, through meta-analysis, describe patterns of napping cessation and duration observed in children aged 0-12 y. A systematic search of all published, original research articles reporting children's napping patterns, by age, was conducted. The quality of studies was assessed, and meta-analysis of eligible studies undertaken. Risk of bias and heterogeneity of measurement was high. Current evidence indicates that less than 2.5% of children cease napping prior to age 2, while 94% cease napping by age 5. The preschool period (3-5 y; 36-60 mo) represents a particularly dynamic period in napping cessation, with large variation in rates of napping across studies evidencing potential ecological effects. Future studies should focus on understanding of the underlying mechanisms explaining individual variations in napping patterns and the extent to which patterns of napping may represent a marker of child development.
