Did you know there are certain food that can help with melatonin production. (Melatonin is the sleepy hormone) below are some foods to try with your little ones at dinner time or as a later snack before bed:
Bananas: They are high in potassium which helps you to stay asleep during the night. They also contain tryptophan and magnesium which are natural sedatives.
Poultry: Chicken & Turkey contain tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that you can only get from eating and drinking. It helps your body to produce serotonin (helping you to relax) which helps your body make melatonin.
Yogurts: Calcium processes the hormones that help you sleep, tryptophan and melatonin. Any food containing calcium would work here.
Nuts: Nuts including peanuts, walnuts and even seeds all boost serotonin levels by having magnesium and tryptophan just be careful when introducing nuts and seeds to your little ones diet @hellomamamade did a fantastic post on introducing peanut butter to your little one recently.
Fish: Vitamin B6 is abundant in fish especially tuna and salmon. Vitamin B6 is what makes melatonin.
Why not try to include some of these sleep-inducing foods to help your child produce more melatonin before bedtime. If you keep your little one’s room nice and dark this will also help to trigger the melatonin production.
I hope this helps families to boost their little ones’ sleepy hormones.