As a parent, you only want what is best for your children, even if it is not always what they want. From food choices to screen time, you may constantly fight an uphill battle to make your littles happy while protecting their health and well-being. While, once upon a time, you may have thought sleep was a battle you could not lose, it turns out your children are prepared to fight you on that, too.
Whether faced with a stubborn toddler who refuses to go to (and stay) asleep or confronted with a pre-teen who doesn’t believe in bedtime, you may be on the hunt for safe remedies that promote peaceful slumber. If this is the case, consider these top solutions that serve not only as effective sleep aids but also as healthy bedtime snacks.
Cherries
If your little one struggles to fall asleep, consider serving them a bowl of tart cherries before bedtime. Tart cherries increase the amount of melatonin your body produces. Since melatonin is a sleep hormone, cherry consumption before bedtime could be all your child needs to convince their body that it’s time for bed.
Not only can tart cherries trigger the production of the sleep hormone but also, they can keep your child asleep for longer. This is because tart cherries contain an enzyme that controls the sleep hormone in the body for longer.
Bananas
Bananas are rich in tryptophan, an enzyme that aids in producing melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin regulates the body’s sleep-wake cycle, while serotonin helps regulate mood, appetite, pain, and sleep. Given these properties, bananas make a great before-bedtime snack.
As a bonus, bananas contain magnesium and potassium, both muscle relaxers. By encouraging your little one to eat a banana right before bed, you can prime their body for a deep and restful night’s sleep.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal serves as the perfect sleep aid for two distinct reasons. First, it is a slow-release carb that raises blood sugar levels but prevents your body from depleting them too quickly. As a result, your body will feel sleepier for longer. Oats are rich in melatonin, the body’s natural sleep hormone. When you eat oatmeal right before bed, the melatonin in the oats will relax your body and help you fall asleep quicker.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are the most effective foods that promote a good night’s sleep, as they contain various nutrients that impact sleep quality. Whole grains contain magnesium, a natural muscle relaxant that regulates melatonin production. The butyric acid in whole grains helps the body produce GABA, a complex carbohydrate that lowers cortisol, a stress hormone and raises serotonin. Whole grains are also rich in selenium, which reduces irritability and restlessness at bedtime and helps the body achieve internal equilibrium during sleep. Finally, whole grains are rich in tryptophan which, as previously mentioned, aids in producing serotonin and melatonin.
What Foods To Avoid
Now that you know which foods to serve your little ones for a peaceful night’s slumber, it may help to familiarize yourself with those to avoid. Below is a list of the top five worst foods for sleep:
- Cheese contains high levels of tyramine, an enzyme that makes the body feel alert
- Chocolate, which contains caffeine
- Ice cream, which could disrupt blood sugar levels
- Foods with high water content could cause your little one to have to wake several times throughout the night
- Fatty foods, such as saturated fats, are linked to lighter sleep and more wakefulness
Changing your child’s diet is one of the safest and healthiest ways to promote better quality sleep.