When we think about improving sleep, we often focus on routines, bedtime environments, the sleep environment and most commonly, sleep training. While these are areas that may need to be addressed and altered, another crucial factor often overlooked is nutritional content. A nutrient is a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life. All children need specific nutrients in their system to achieve optimal sleep quality.
Deficiencies are widespread amongst children and this is predominantly a result from diets which are high in fat, sugar and salt. Additionally, the oral function for children is much weaker than it was hundreds of years ago due to the desires to eat soft and tender meats. This makes it harder for children to apply the ‘chew and swallow’ pattern, which further leads to fussy eating, resulting in nutritional deficiencies.
On top of this, deficiencies in particular nutrients can cause a change in the number, size and structure of taste bud cells, and decrease the nerve sensitivity. This induces a change in the taste of food, so when a cut of steak tastes nice to one, a child with nutritional deficiencies may think it tastes like metal, for example. This means a child will eat less, therefore consuming less nutrients. These factors further exacerbate deficiencies in children, and it becomes a big, vicious cycle.
Since our body cannot synthesize nutrients, they must be obtained through diet. Therefore, it is vital that your child is offered a wide-range of whole foods rich in nutrients to support consumption and absorption, and induce adequate sleep presentation.
Each nutrient has its own purpose and benefit to the bodily processes, and there are 7 main nutrients which your child needs for their growth and development, and to achieve optimal sleep quality.
When there is a deficiency in a particular nutrient, this can truly negatively affect your child's sleep. It can alter their sleep quality, affect their sleep latency (how long it takes your child to fall asleep), trigger early morning waking, lead to night wakes and many other sleep disruptions.
There are several nutrients which are important, and key to improved sleep quantity and quality, and they are magnesium, iron, tryptophan, zinc, protein, carbohydrates and vitamin B12.
Magnesium: The Sleep Mineral
Magnesium is often referred to as the "relaxation mineral" because of its ability to help muscles relax and support a calm nervous system, keeping blood sugar and blood pressure at the right balance. Since sleep is heavily regulated by the nervous system, it is believed that magnesium helps with the balance of sleep. It also plays a vital role in regulating the body's circadian rhythm, which is our internal body clock, controlling our sleep-wake cycle. Magnesium also supports the production of melatonin, the hormone that tells our body when it's time to sleep.
When magnesium levels are low, it can lead to insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and difficulty staying asleep. This means, your child’s drive for sleep will be increased, but with low magnesium, it can interrupt their ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Without adequate magnesium, the body's stress response may become heightened, making it harder to unwind and relax at bedtime.
Although studies are still being conducted on how important magnesium is for optimal sleep performance, it is believed that magnesium is required for optimal sleep quality and duration. If you can ensure your child has adequate magnesium intake, it will help to relax and calm the body, preventing or ceasing restlessness.
You can read more about magnesium in my blog: The Magic Of Magnesium
Iron: Supporting Oxygen Flow and Sleep Quality
Iron is crucial for producing haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Iron deficiency is prevalent amongst kids and has a negative impact on a child’s ability to sleep well. Iron enables the body to make haemoglobin and myoglobin, which are proteins in the red blood cells that carry oxygen from the lungs to all over the body and into the muscles. Adequate iron levels ensure your body is receiving sufficient oxygen, enabling your body to respond well to sleep.
Low iron makes the body feel tired, but sleepless. There are no written studies on how low iron truly impacts a child’s ability to sleep however, anecdotally through case-studies and working closely with clients, I have seen a presentation of low iron causing persistent early morning waking, delayed sleep onset, frequent night wakes or split nights.
In children who have low iron levels, they present as tired but sleepless. They are clearly tired and trying to sleep, but the ability to drift off to sleep is extremely challenged. Sleep becomes fragmented, and it can even be hard to resettle back to sleep after a night waking, or even staying asleep in the early hours of the morning. Many children with low iron often wake up feeling tired, even after a full night of sleep.
You can read more about iron in my blog: Iron - The Super Nutrient
Tryptophan: The Sleep-Inducing Amino Acid
Tryptophan is an underestimated, essential amino acid that helps produce serotonin, our happy, awake neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and well-being. Serotonin is then converted into melatonin at night time. Therefore, for optimal melatonin secretion and quality sleep, your child needs tryptophan in their diet. Tryptophan, like most nutrients, cannot be produced by the human body and so it must be obtained through consumption.
Including foods which are high in tryptophan in your child’s diet can encourage the production of melatonin and support better sleep. I usually recommend offering these foods at breakfast where possible, as a good start to the day with tryptophan foods will boost serotonin during the day, further encouraging the strong surge of melatonin at bedtime.
A deficiency in tryptophan can reduce serotonin and melatonin production, leading to difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, and feeling rested. Inadequate tryptophan can also contribute to mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, both of which can negatively affect sleep.
Zinc: The Calmness and Sleep-Boosting Mineral
Zinc is an essential nutrient, meaning your body can’t produce it nor can it store it. Therefore, the body needs a constant daily consumption supply to keep up with its needs. Zinc helps to regulate sleep, and although it’s not clear exactly the role it plays with this, it appears to assist with deep sleep, And since the brain rejuvenates during sleep, we can understand that if there is a zinc deficiency, this can lead to a reduction in sleep quality.
Zinc plays a role in maintaining healthy sleep patterns by regulating neurotransmitters that impact mood and sleep. It also helps the body produce and regulate melatonin. Zinc is essential for immune function, and a strong immune system helps ensure the body doesn’t wake itself up due to discomfort from illness or inflammation.
Although zinc doesn’t actually induce sleep, it does help with sleep latency, quantity, quality and efficiency. For a child with adequate zinc intake, we can see that healthy levels of zinc in the blood can assist with these 4 core aspects of sleep, avoiding poor sleep quality.
When zinc levels are low, it can lead to poor sleep quality, including more frequent awakenings during the night and difficulty falling asleep. Studies have shown that zinc supplementation can improve both the duration and quality of sleep.
Protein: Building Blocks for Restful Sleep
Proteins are actually make up of building blocks, which are known as amino acids. Our body uses more than 20 amino acids to create new proteins, enzymes and hormones and are used as an energy source, particularly when carbohydrate intake is low. Protein plays a crucial role in the production of serotonin and melatonin, but is also needed so our bodies can grow and repair cells, to function adequately. It is an essential nutrient, which means our body can’t naturally make it, and sufficient diet intake of protein is required to provide adequate protein throughout the body.
Protein is known to help us feel fuller for longer and can help stabilise our blood sugar levels too. With a sufficient balance of these two components, this can help reduce night wakes. By maintaining a healthy level of protein consumption, we can work towards better sleep performance and longer blocks of sleep.
A balanced intake of protein ensures that the body has the necessary building blocks to support neurotransmitter function and maintain a stable sleep-wake cycle.
A lack of protein can disrupt the production of serotonin and melatonin, leading to restless sleep and trouble staying asleep. Without sufficient protein, the body might also experience energy dips during the day, making it harder to maintain a regular sleep schedule.
Carbohydrates: Aiding the Sleep Process
Carbohydrates can help boost the availability of tryptophan in the brain, promoting serotonin production. They are often referred to as "sleep boosters" because of their ability to make you feel calm and relaxed. Eating complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables before bedtime can help support the sleep cycle.
Without enough carbohydrates, the body may struggle to transport tryptophan into the brain, leading to less serotonin and melatonin production. This can result in difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
Vitamin B12: The Iron-Absorption Helper
Vitamin B12 is essential for maintaining healthy nerve function and red blood cell production. It plays a crucial role in helping the body absorb iron, which is important for delivering oxygen to the cells. B12 also influences melatonin levels, further supporting the sleep-wake cycle.
Without adequate B12, iron absorption can be impaired, leading to symptoms like fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and disrupted sleep. B12 deficiency can also contribute to insomnia, sleep apnoea, and a general sense of exhaustion.
Conclusion
There are many factors which need to be assessed and addressed to achieve health sleep presentations, and as you can see, offering a wide range of whole-foods to your child is one area which can be easily conquered. However, one thing I want you to keep in mind, is the difference between consumption and absorption.
If your child has an amazing diet, eats well and consumes a range of the sleep supportive nutrients detailed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that their body is sufficiently absorbing those nutrients.
If there is a history of antibiotic use, bouts of gastroenteritis, use of medications through your labor and delivery, food intolerances/allergies or wind and tummy pains, then your child's gut may not be absorbing these nutrients adequately. And it doesn’t matter how much they are consuming, absorption becomes the issue here.
If you’d like to know more about nutrients, what kinds of foods you should include in your child’s diet and why, you can find it all in my Nutrition Guide PDF, available for free download:
If you'd like to chat with me about your child's sleep, I'm always ready to take your call. Just call me directly on 0419820474, or book in for a free Discovery Call:
Shereen Nielsen xx
I'm Shereen Nielsen, a certified Sleep Consultant specialising in infants and children from birth to 15 years old. With over seven years of experience, I've assisted over 4000 families in achieving better sleep. Additionally, I serve as a lecturer and mentor, guiding aspiring sleep consultants on their path to certification through my internationally recognised online Sleep Consultant Course.
Phone: +61419820474
Email: hello@shereennielsen.com
Website: www.shereennielsen.com
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