5 Foods That Help Your Toddler Sleep Better

5 Foods That Help Your Toddler Sleep Better

4 Mar 2022 | 5 min Read

Sudeshna Chakravarti

Author | 799 Articles

After attending to your toddler’s needs for most of the day and night, the little sleep that you get at night can be considered a luxury. But sometimes, your toddler might wake up in the middle of the night, costing you this rest time. This may leave you wondering, “How can I prevent my baby from waking up at night?”

Since peaceful sleep is paramount for every toddler’s overall well-being, their waking up at night might concern you. However, this is a common phenomenon observed by most parents. While some toddlers have uninterrupted sleep, some have trouble falling asleep or might wake up frequently.

One of the ways you could solve this problem is by making a few tweaks to your toddler’s dinner routine. Research suggests that diet plays a vital role in every toddler’s sleep cycle. Including nutritious, filling, and easy-to-digest foods in your child’s diet can help them sleep longer and better.

How Does Food Help Promote Better Sleep in Toddlers?

While there are some foods, for instance, caffeine, that makes us more alert, there are certain food items that are known to promote restful sleep. These food items are essentially combined with complex carbohydrates which help release sleep-inducing stimulants in the body.

Adding such foods to your toddler’s diet can help them feel more sleepy and tired after dinner, which means they are likely to nap sooner and for longer.

Foods that Will Help Your Toddler Sleep Better through The Night

Let’s have a look at these dinner items for toddlers that are nutritious, easy-to-digest, and will help your little one get a good night’s sleep.

  1. Spinach
Spinach is a superfood that helps promote good sleep

Every mother is aware of the endless benefits that this green leafy vegetable has to offer. It is rich in nutrients such as iron, vitamins, and minerals. But did you know, apart from being nutrient-rich, spinach is also rife in tryptophan?

Tryptophan is an amino acid, used by our body to syntesise proteins. It helps in the production of melatonin, more commonly known as the body’s ‘sleep hormone.’ Adding this superfood to your child’s dinner plate will provide them with all the essential nutrients and also help them sleep better. 

  1. Bananas

Toddlers love bananas for their irresistible sweet taste. They are easy to digest and are a great source of carbohydrates. Moreover, bananas are potassium and magnesium-rich fruits and can act as natural muscle relaxants.

Having bananas during dinner can help relax your little one’s muscles and they eventually feel more sleepy after dinner. Bananas also promote healthy growth in toddlers, and we recommend you add this to their dinner plan.

  1. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is rich in melatonin that improves sleep cycle

Oatmeal is a healthy food item, both for toddlers and adults. It is rich in fibre and nutrients, and also melatonin. Melatonin triggers insulin production in the body, which in turn helps in inducing sleep. 

There are a variety of ways you can prepare oatmeal, but the simplest form would be porridge. It will be easy for your toddler to digest, and we also recommend adding apples and berries to it, as it will improve both the taste and the nutritional value.

  1. Chickpeas
Chickpeas are protein-rich and a nutritious meal option

Chickpeas, in general, are a great source of sustainable and lean protein. They are also rich in tryptophan, which as mentioned earlier, is an excellent sleep promoter. Apart from that, chickpeas are also rich in vitamins, iron, potassium, and fibre, making them a nutritious meal.

If you are planning to add this to your child’s dinner meal, we suggest boiling the chickpeas well, as it will help your child digest the meal better.

  1. White Rice

Rice is an excellent source of carbohydrates and is known to have a high glycemic index. And according to several scientific studies, food items with a higher glycemic index were found to help people sleep faster and better.

Now you know why a lot of people tend to feel sleepy after consuming rice. Adding white rice to your child’s meal will help them sleep faster and since it is easy to chew and digest, they won’t make a fuss about eating it.

Other Tips to Manage Night Awakening in Toddlers

Apart from making changes in their diet, you may want to try following these steps to manage night awakenings in your toddler.

  • Determine the Cause And Act Accordingly

Toddlers have different reasons for waking up at night. Some wake up due to hunger, others do so due to colic pain or anxiety. Assess the situation, ascertain the cause, and then implement an appropriate solution.

  • Fix a Bedtime Routine

Give your little one a warm bath and read them their favourite stories before bedtime. This will help them feel more relaxed and they can fall asleep faster and for longer.

  • Keep your Toddler’s Room Screen-free

Electronic gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, and television can affect your toddler’s sleep cycle. Besides, the artificial light from the electronics can interfere with melatonin production, resulting in hampered sleep. It’s best to keep them away from such gadgets during their sleep time.

Your toddler waking up at night is usually nothing much to worry about, except a sleepless night for you too. Try including the recommended foods in their diet to ensure a peaceful sleep through the night for both your baby and you. 

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