The old saying “you are what you eat” is a well-known one, but did you know that what your child eats can also impact the quality of their sleep?

To make sure you are giving your child the right things to eat before bed, here is a list of the top five worst foods for sleep:

1. Chocolate

Chocolate may be delicious, but it contains high levels of caffeine, which makes it a bad choice for a late-evening snack. Caffeine consumption can cause rapid eye movement (REM) to occur more frequently, which is why you are more likely to feel groggy the morning after eating chocolate at bedtime. Sorry kids!

2. Cheese

Forget about  ordering your kids a late-night pizza delivery because cheese is one of the worst foods to eat before bed. Some cheeses (along with preserved meats such as pepperoni, ham and bacon), contain  tyramine, which make us feel alert. Tyramine causes the adrenal gland to release stress hormones, so if you want your kids to relax and unwind before bedtime,  you are best taking cheese off the shopping list.

3. Curry

Spicy food, such as curries, hot sauce and mustard, contain high levels of capsaicin. This chemical raises body temperature, which in turn, disrupts sleep. Add this to the high levels of energy needed to digest the spices and the result is likely to be a poor night’s sleep.

 4. Ice cream

We all know that giving your kids  too much sugar can have a negative impact on their health, but did you know it can also affect their sleep?

Sugary foods, such as ice-cream and sweets, quickly spike blood sugar levels. These then crash while your child is asleep. A crash in blood sugar alerts the adrenals that there is an emergency, which, in turn, increases stress hormones which causes the body to wake. Clever…but not what you want happening to your child just because they overloaded on sugary treats before bedtime!

5. Crisps

A pack of crisps seems like quite an innocent snack, but too much salt dehydrates the body and increases water retention, causing tiredness and fatigue. Believe it or not, crisps are one of the worst foods to eat before bed as they can contribute to disrupted or “superficial” sleep. To encourage a good night’s sleep, you should try not to give your children salty foods at least two to three hours before bed.

So, what should your kids eat?

While there are plenty of foods you should avoid giving your kids before bed, there are many which can help them to sleep including cherries, bananas, honey, almonds and even turkey! Just remember it’s always best to try your kids with any new foods earlier on in the day when they don’t need a full tummy for hours on end!

Found this blog useful? We will be back soon with more top tips on helping your child sleep!