Sleep and nutrition: healthy habits

Breast milk is an extraordinary and complete nourishment because it adapts to the child's needs throughout the 24 hours, offering unique benefits.

Research conducted by the University of Extremadura in Spain has highlighted how it promotes the child's sleep, by increasing the presence of endorphins and nucleotides during the night.

As the child grows, it becomes crucial to introduce complementary foods alongside breast milk. Some of these may promote nighttime sleep, while others can have the opposite effect, stimulating the nervous system and making the child more restless.

Sleep and nutrition are closely linked: the way we sleep influences how we eat and vice versa. An improper diet or digestive problems can compromise nighttime rest.
This is why it is important to clearly distinguish the effects of various foods.
It is important to avoid certain foods, especially for very young children, and carefully choose what to offer at lunch rather than at dinner.

The SIPPS (Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics), through the Nutripiatto project, provides valuable recommendations to parents on the importance of quality sleep for children's well-being. 35-40% of children face sleep problems during growth, peaking in the first year of life due to nighttime feedings.

The same society also provides useful suggestions regarding the link between sleep and nutrition.

How many hours should a child sleep and what are the common effects of lack of sleep?
Sleep experts indicate that, although there are individual variations, the average hours of sleep by age group are approximately the following:

- Up to 12 months: 14-18 hours, both during the day and at night.
- 1 to 5 years: 12-14 hours distributed throughout the 24 hours.
- 6 to 10 years: 10-12 hours per day.
- 11 to 18 years: 8-10 hours per day.

According to recent studies conducted by child neuropsychiatry experts, 28% of children with insufficient sleep fall asleep at school at least once a week, 22% during homework, and 32% feel too tired to play sports.

The balance between what they eat and how they sleep plays a fundamental role in the overall health of little ones.

Recognizing the importance of a balanced diet and healthy habits in promoting restful sleep is fundamental for children's well-being. Offering them nutritious foods, fostering a quiet and relaxing environment before sleep, and following experts' recommendations can help ensure peaceful nights and days full of vitality and well-being.

Here are the foods to avoid because they hinder sleep:

- Refined Sugars, Additives, and Colorings. These substances can lower blood sugar levels and cause nighttime awakenings.

- Monosodium Glutamate: Present in many industrial products, it is a powerful stimulant of nerve cells that can cause their destruction.

- Mercury: Found in large quantities in large farmed fish such as swordfish, salmon, and tuna, it can affect the nervous system.

Foods to consider only for lunch but not for dinner:

- Red Meat: Rich in protein, it can have an exciting effect on children.

- Foods Rich in Tyramine: Broccoli, turnip greens, aged cheeses, caffeinated drinks, and milk chocolate contain tyramine, which can cause restlessness.

- Foods That May Cause Colic: Avoid large quantities of vegetables at dinner to prevent abdominal colic.

Here are the foods considered "sleep-friendly":

- Unsweetened milk, yogurt, rice, barley, legumes, almonds, and pine nuts can promote relaxation.

- Foods Rich in Potassium: Zucchini, carrots, spinach, potatoes, apricots, bananas, plums, and plain whole yogurt sweetened with organic jam are excellent for sleep due to vitamin B6.

- Infusions and Herbal Teas Before Bed: Chamomile, hawthorn, lemon balm, passionflower, linden, valerian, and verbena can be offered before sleep. They could cause nighttime awakenings due to the need to go to the bathroom.

It is important to balance industrial foods with more natural, homemade products.

Carefully examining the labels of products available in supermarkets and comparing them becomes an important step in dietary choices.

It is not just about opting for organic products, but balancing quality and cost of purchases wisely.

Often, the focus on children's nutrition extends to influencing the dietary habits of the entire family.

Gaia Raffaella Di Donato