Students in Handan, China, nap in foldable chairs under raised desks.

Debate photos courtesy of families; HAO QY/Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images (classroom)

Should You Have Nap Time at School?

March 13, 2023

This fact might wake you up. About one out of three kids in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep at night. Those sleepy kids can doze off during class.

Some people think the answer is nap time. For example, in China kids take naps during the school day. Some schools even have beds in classrooms!

But many people say school isn’t the place to catch up on sleep. Instead, kids should have better sleep habits at night. For instance, turning off screens an hour before bedtime could help.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

Experts say kids our age should get 9 to 12 hours of sleep every day. But that’s not always possible. If I have basketball practice at night, I stay up later. I can be sleepy the next day. A nap would give me energy.

Naps could also improve kids’ moods. Taking a nap can make you feel refreshed and calm. That means there would be less conflict in the classroom.

It’s important for kids to get enough sleep. But school napping isn’t the way to get it. Waking up from naps can make you feel groggy. This makes it difficult to concentrate. It’s better to get a good night’s sleep.

Nap time would leave less time for classes. Also, naps won’t prepare us for the future. When we’re older, we won’t be able to nap at work.