A parent’s job is never done. All-day long, they have to worry about the kids getting an education, getting plenty of exercise,s and having a well-balanced diet. At night, they have to worry about getting the whole family to bed early enough to allow for plenty of good sleep.
While parents can’t make kids sleep, they can take steps to make sure their family has good sleeping habits. Part of that process is making sure their kids are eating foods that help make it easier to fall asleep and hopefully get the amount of sleep they need based on recommendations offered by the medical profession. Without proper sleep, kids and adults can develop sleep disorders that lead to things like waking nightmares.
For many parents, the focus is always on the kid’s health, but you can’t forget to take care of your needs as well. Bedtime is so important to our overall health and without our health, as adults, we can’t take care of the rest of the family. Your bedtime routine should involve restful activities like finding legit UK slots games to play, reading a book on your kindle, or watching your favorite TV show. As long as you give yourself at least 30 minutes between when you stop using a device and going to sleep you can be sure to give your brain the proper time to fall asleep properly.
In this article, we will discuss the best bedtime snacks and routines for the entire family to develop a good bedtime routine.
Foods to Eat Before Bed
- Dairy: It’s not simply by chance that doctors recommend children drink lots of milk and eat a fair amount of cheeses. The fact is dairy products are high in calcium, which plays two key roles in a child’s development. First, it serves to strengthen a child’s teeth and bones. Second, calcium contains the amino acid tryptophan, which stimulates the brain to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps shut down a human’s mind and body for rest.
- Whole Grain Products: While many kids prefer things like donuts, sweet rolls, and sandwiches made with white bread for snacks, all of these products contain high levels of sugar. That’s not healthy for a child nor will it help them sleep. Whole-grain bread, oat products, and crackers are just as filling and many times more nutritious. They also serve to promote better sleep by cutting down the amount of sugar a child might be taking in before bedtime.
- Fruits and Nuts: As long as parents avoid packing the pantry with unhealthy snacks like chips and cookies, kids usually have no problem asking for fruits and/or nuts. Some fruits like apples, kiwi, and bananas contain vitamins and minerals that help to relax the muscles. Bananas in particular contain tryptophan. A relaxed body with extra tryptophan is a good formula for sleep. Nuts are known to promote the body’s production of melatonin, which serves to stimulate the brain to produce serotonin. The best nut options for kids include almonds, walnuts, and pecans. If nuts are being used in other snack products, parents need to wary of the other ingredients a particular product contains.
- Honey: Sometimes, parents have to give a little and do something to satisfy their child’s sweet tooth. Cookies and candy are still not the right kinds of snacks to offer at bedtime. As an alternative, honey is a great natural sweetener. If added to crackers, nuts, or bread, a child might never know they aren’t eating sweets. The great thing about honey is it causes the release of insulin in the body just like sugar would. In doing so, it makes it easier for tryptophan to stimulate the brain into releasing both melatonin and serotonin.
Activities Before Bed
- Mind Games: Using your mind before going to sleep is a great way to relieve stress and get your mental exercise. Just like physical exercise, your mind needs this work for cognitive enhancement. It also helps get your mind tired of bed.
- Reading a Book: Reading is another form of mental exercise but it also works as a way to get your eyes ready to sleep. The movement of your eyes in dim light is a way of telling your brain that it’s time to relax for sleep and actually has been shown to release chemicals in your body that aid with sleep.
