Afternoon naps can boost kid's happiness, IQ: Study

An afternoon nap can boost happiness as well as improve behaviour and academic performance of children, a study has found.

Researchers from and the University of California (UC) Irvine in the US conducted a study of nearly 3,000 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders aged 10-12.

The study, published in the journal SLEEP, showed a connection between midday napping and greater happiness, self-control, and grit; fewer behavioral problems; and higher IQ.

"Children who napped three or more times per week benefit from a 7.6 per cent increase in academic performance in Grade 6," said Adrian Raine, from University of Pennsylvania.

"How many kids at school would not want their scores to go up by 7.6 points out of 100?" Raine said.

Sleep deficiency and daytime drowsiness are surprisingly widespread, with drowsiness affecting up to 20 per cent of all children, said Jianghong Liu, an associate professor at University of Pennsylvania.

While the negative cognitive, emotional, and physical effects of ...