Abstract
The cessation of the nap habit in early childhood is one of the developmental stages of sleep rhythm. The current "Guideline for Education and Care of Certified Centers for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)," revised in 2018, clearly states that "consideration should be given not to uniformly apply the nap since the time spent at centers differs and the sleep time varies depending on the developmental status of children and individuals," but the actual conditions of nap are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the current conditions and issues regarding naps during 3 to 5 years of age depending on the management structure of certified centers for ECEC based on a national survey in Japan. The results of the national survey for 2,209 certified centers for ECEC revealed that among 1,236 certified centers that provide afternoon nap for 5-year-old children, 80% of public centers, 50% of school corporations, and 70% of social welfare centers reported that "children who do not want to sleep also go to their beddings", indicating that many of the centers still have a uniform system of afternoon nap. In preparation for the future revision of the guidelines, it is expected to deepen the discussion on the nap and to provide training opportunities to these certified centers.
