Eat Right, Sleep Tight
What your child snacks on before bed can keep her awake or help send her off to dreamland. Eating a particularly large, rich, or spicy meal too close to bedtime can make sleep difficult for your child. In fact, eating within an hour of bed can disrupt sleep, so ask your child about ninety minutes prior to curfew if she's going to want a bedtime snack.
Combining both carbohydrates and calcium with tryptophan foods increases their availability in the bloodstream for transport into the brain. Avoid a high-protein/low-carb snack at bedtime as it will increase brain function rather than slow it down. Some good bedtime snack ideas for promoting sleep include a half a peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain bread with a glass of milk, hot or cold whole-grain cereal with milk, or a deviled egg with a side of milk.
Studies have indicated that the amino acid L-tryptophan, found in milk, turkey, beans, eggs, peanuts, seeds, and other foods, promotes sleep by enhancing the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Another similar serotonin precursor, the amino acid L-5-hydroxytryptophan, was effective in resolving the sleep difficulties of children with night terrors in a University of Rome study.
Supplementing Sleep
Clinical studies have associated certain vitamin deficiencies with sleep problems. They have also pinpointed specific vitamin and mineral supplementation that has been found to help promote sleep. Here are some common vitamins and minerals that can influence the body's ability to sleep:
Vitamin B
1 (thiamine). In studies of thiamine-deficient adults, supplementation with B1 reduced fatigue and improved sleep patterns.Vitamin B
12 . Found in meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, and fortified cereals, B12 has a regulating effect on circadian rhythms and may be helpful in adjusting your child's sleep cycle.Magnesium. Magnesium deficiency has been associated with several sleep disorders. Supplementation can promote sleep. Foods high in magnesium include spinach and other dark green veggies, tree nuts, soy, whole grains, and seeds.
If your child is having sleep problems, look at his caffeine intake from food and beverages (such as soda, tea, and chocolate drinks). The National Sleep Foundation recommends that both children and adults have no more than 250 mg of caffeine daily to avoid sleep problems. Try to avoid any caffeine intake beyond dinner so it isn't too close to bedtime, as well.
Melatonin is neither a vitamin nor a mineral. It is a hormone, available over the counter in supplement form, which can promote sleep. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland and helps to regulate your child's sleep cycles. Although pediatric studies on the supplement are still sparse, the supplement appears to be useful in children with few, if any, side effects.
Don't give your child vitamin supplements without first consulting his pediatrician. If his doctor suspects a vitamin deficiency, a simple blood test can usually confirm or rule out the diagnosis.
