title: Does Increased Consolidated Nighttime Sleep Facilitate Attentional Control? A Pilot Study of Nap Restriction in Preschoolers.
abstract: The aim of this study is to understand the impact of a 5-day period of nap restriction on sleep patterns and cognitive function in typically developing preschoolers, aged 3 to 4 years.
  
  
  
  Following 1 week of baseline assessment, 28 children were randomly assigned to either a "napping as usual" group ( n = 15) or a 5-day period of nap restriction ( n = 13). Sleep was assessed with sleep logs and actigraphy; cognition was assessed at baseline and at the end of the intervention week.
  
  
  
  No group differences in sleep or cognitive function were observed at baseline. For the no-nap group, the 5-day period of daytime nap restriction resulted in increased nighttime sleep. Children in the no-nap group also showed a significant improvement in attentional control compared with baseline, whereas no such changes were observed among children in the napping-as-usual group.
  
  
  
  In preschool children who typically take naps, short-term nap restriction is associated with increased nighttime sleep and may contribute to improved attentional function.
authors: 1 Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.|2 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Janet C
authors: JC
authors: Lam
authors: 1 Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Taylor A
authors: TA
authors: Koriakin
authors: 3 University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.
authors: Steven M
authors: SM
authors: Scharf
authors: 4 Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Thornton B A
authors: TBA
authors: Mason
authors: 1 Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.|2 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: E Mark
authors: EM
authors: Mahone
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: cognitive function; nap restriction; napping; preschoolers; sleep
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