Timing of meals to aid sleep by Sammy Margo

Many families today have their main meal in the evening. Children often take packed lunches to school, and parents grab a sandwich in their lunch hour, whereas in the evening there is more time to prepare a cooked meal and to sit down as a family to eat it. Unfortunately this is the opposite of what we ought to be doing to get the best night’s sleep. When your child eats, as well as what and how much they eat, has an affect on how well your child sleeps.

If your child has a big meal just before going to bed their metabolic rate and body temperature will increase instead of decreasing which will make it harder for them to get to sleep. The expert advice is that midday is the best time to eat a large meal and to have a small meal or snack in the evening. Children (and adults) need energy during the day not at the end of it when they are going to sleep and their body should be resting not digesting. However, if for practical reasons you need to give your child their main meal in the evening try to make it as early in the evening as possible before their bedtime and at least two hours before they go to sleep.

At the same time, being hungry can also keep children awake as well. A small bedtime snack eaten about half an hour before bedtime can solve the problem. Bearing in mind the foods that help sleep, here are some suggestions for good bedtime snacks:

• Wholegrain crackers with tuna or cheddar cheese
• Yoghurt and low sugar muesli
• Turkey sandwich on cheese and wholemeal bread
• Peanut butter sandwich
• A warm milky drink and an oatmeal biscuit

You will find more information in The forthcoming Good Sleep Guide for Children by Sammy Margo.