On the Coast – Families Issue 99 I April/May 2019 | Page 12

Foods to help
your family sleep well
G
ood sleep is a vital component
not only to an individual’s
overall health, but of course mood.
We have all experienced days
where our performance at work
leaves much to be desired, we feel
short tempered, and decision
making becomes a real chore.
Any new parent knows that long term,
feeling tired can become “just part of life”
and we adapt. But it isn’t until good sleep
is again experienced that we remember
what a difference it can make. This in
mind, what impact does lack of sleep
have on our children?
Often in children we may find that a
lot of issues may be caused by fatigue.
A few days in a row without quite
enough sleep can result in a seemingly
completely different child. Like adults,
they may feel overly emotional, find
decision making difficult, motor skills
compromised and of course, their temper
short! In a child this may manifest as
aggression, anxiety or even irrational
behaviour. Before any parent endeavours
to implement a new discipline method,
change diet or seek prefessional advice,
12
KI DZ O N T H E C OA ST
by Clare Marcangelo
Large amounts of food may
my advice is check in,
slow digestion down, leading
and have a good look
Low blood
to a disturbed night, and
at your child’s sleep
sugar levels and just
large quantities of liquids
first.
of course have your
Aside from
plain hunger can really will
child running to the toilet
setting a good sleep
or filling their nappy in
routine, ensuring
make a difference
the middle of the night.
everything about
to your child's
bedtime and the
Dairy products
bedtime environment
sleep
is optimal, consider
We’ve all heard of enjoying
looking at nutrition to help
a glass of milk before bedtime,
good sleep become a reality. 
but how much of this is myth? It
The foods we consume leading up to
may be that milk has the desired effect
bedtime can have more of an impact
of sleepiness due to dairy containing
then you might think. Obviously sugary,
the amino acid Tryptophan, which
additive laden foods just before bed will
gets turned into the feel good neuro-
make it increasingly difficult for your
transmitter Serotonin, and then
child to wind down for a restful night,
converted into Melatonin. Melatonin
(I still recall thinking my own mother
is our body’s natural sleep regulator,
completely unreasonable when she
produced in large amounts during the
wouldn’t allow me to join my cousin in
evening time, lasting during the night
a glass of nice cold green cordial right
and decreasing as morning
before bed!) but what about foods to
approaches.
actually help with good sleep?
Of course the protein component in
The following are a list of some of the
milk may also help to keep us asleep for
main everyday food sources you may like longer during the night. With all this in
to try to aid sleep. Keep in mind though,
mind, a small serving of cheese may also
that only very small amounts are needed. work wonders.