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Updated: Aug 18, 2025

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Influence of naps on sedentary time and physical activity in early childhood

Christine W St Laurent1, Sanna Lokhandwala1, Tamara Allard2

  • 1Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 135 Hicks Way, Tobin Hall, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.

Scientific Reports
|December 9, 2022
PubMed

Insights

This study found no significant link between napping habits or physiology and physical activity in preschoolers. Missing a nap did not negatively impact daily movement behaviors for young children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Science
  • Child Movement Behaviors
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Napping is a common behavior in preschool-aged children.
  • Understanding the relationship between sleep and physical activity is crucial for child development.
  • Previous research has not clearly established the association between nap habituality, physiology, and movement behaviors in this age group.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between nap habituality and movement behaviors (sedentary time, physical activity) in preschoolers.
  • To examine if nap physiology (sleep stages) relates to movement behaviors.
  • To determine the impact of a missed nap versus a taken nap on same-day and next-day movement behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • A within-subjects study involving 44 preschool-aged children (4.2 ± 0.6 years).
  • Movement behaviors were assessed using wrist-worn actigraphy over approximately 12 days.
  • Nap promotion and wake promotion conditions were experimentally manipulated, with polysomnography used during nap conditions.

Main Results:

  • No significant associations were found between nap habituality groups and average movement behaviors.
  • Nap sleep stages showed no correlation with movement behaviors.
  • Neither the nap condition nor its interaction with nap habituality affected movement behaviors on the same or subsequent day.

Conclusions:

  • The findings do not support a relationship between napping and movement behaviors in preschool-aged children.
  • A single missed nap does not appear to detrimentally affect daily physical activity or sedentary time in this population.
  • Further research is recommended to explore potential cumulative effects of prolonged nap restriction.

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