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Grandma Helps Parents Avoid Going Bananas at Bedtime

We are off to visit our grandchildren.  We have no problem getting them to bed because we do not want them to go to bed.  As long distance grandparents, we want every delicious moment we can get.  Usually, we get into bed with the grandchildren and watch their favorite shows until they just fall asleep from exhaustion.  Other times, we tell them that we are all going to stay up all night and they cannot close their eyes and go to sleep.  Reverse psychology seems to work every time.  This grandma does not mind when the grandchildren wake up during the night.  It gives me a reason to climb in their beds and cuddle some more.


Parents, on the other hand, want their children to go to sleep and stay asleep.  My son-in-law did some research and found that bananas, yes, bananas, at bedtime is a trick to get children to sleep through the night.  He forwarded this link to me.


“Sleepless toddler gets his first-ever good night’s rest – thanks to a banana,” by Keith Kendrick, tells us February 10, 2014, that eating a half a banana before bedtime put an end to spider and monster nightmares that a three year old boy was having.

This article is from England and the advice came from Vicki Dawson, a sleep expert based at Aaron’s nursery, the Arnold Centre in Rotherham, south Yorkshire, England, who recommended a workshop on the issue at a nearby children’s hospital.  So, it seems there is some science behind this easy solution to getting toddlers and children to sleep through the night.


Why?  Here is what the article said:

It is not known exactly why the banana has helped Aaron, but Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, author of Set Free to Live Free, said: “Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium and potassium, which help to relax overstressed muscles.


“They also contain tryptophan, which convert to serotonin and melatonin, the brain’s key calming hormones.”


Experts said that as well as bananas, other slow-releasing energy foods such as wholemeal bread and peanut butter can help with restless nights. So, we grandmas can be heroes again and seem so smart.  We can advise the parents of our grandchildren who are not sleeping through the night or waking up with nightmares to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread and a banana the dinner meal!



Joy,


Mema

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