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Updated: Sep 6, 2025

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
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Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

12.0K

Relations between sleep patterns early in life and brain development: A review

Sanna Lokhandwala1, Rebecca M C Spencer2

  • 1Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States; Developmental Sciences Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States.

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
|July 2, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Healthy sleep is crucial for cognitive development in children. This review highlights the connection between sleep patterns, brain development, and cognitive function throughout childhood.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Sleep Science

Background:

  • Sleep is essential for adult cognitive function.
  • Childhood involves significant changes in sleep physiology and patterns.
  • Emerging research links sleep, brain development, and cognition in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review studies on sleep and brain development in childhood.
  • To synthesize current understanding of sleep's role in cognitive development.
  • To identify knowledge gaps for future research.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on sleep and brain development across childhood.
  • Analysis of parallel changes in sleep, brain structure, and activity.
  • Synthesis of evidence on sleep's modulatory effects on development.

Main Results:

  • Sleep patterns change significantly from infancy to early childhood (biphasic to monophasic).
  • Sleep and brain development show parallel changes during childhood.
  • Sleep influences brain structure and activity, which in turn affects sleep.

Conclusions:

  • Healthy sleep is vital for healthy brain and cognitive development.
  • Understanding the interplay between sleep and brain development is critical.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate these complex relationships.

Keywords:
Brain developmentEarly childhoodLearningNappingSleep

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