When it’s bedtime and a child expresses hunger, parents should choose between putting the child to sleep immediately or letting them endure the feeling of hunger. Which are the types of foods that should and should not be consumed before falling asleep? These are the questions that many parents often ask.
Is it okay for a hungry child to eat before bedtime?
The answer to this question is “yes”. However, this should be done in moderation. Children should only consume specific types of food and not too much. At the same time, brushing teeth after eating is also very important.
Some parents may not want their child to eat before bedtime for various reasons. One of them is concern that drinking milk before going to bed may increase blood sugar levels. They believe that high blood sugar levels can inhibit the secretion of growth hormones, thereby hindering the child’s height development.
However, according to research, the inhibition of growth hormones due to high blood sugar levels is only temporary and not permanent. The process of growth hormone secretion is a complex process, influenced by many different factors.
Eating before bedtime can lead to weight gain, but this only happens when the child eats a large amount of food for a long period of time before sleeping. Therefore, parents do not need to worry too much about this issue. Obesity is a complex problem with multiple causes.
Parents also often worry that eating before bedtime can affect the child’s digestive system. However, the digestive system is still active, although not as fast as during the day, so a small amount of food can still be digested.
Lastly, parents should also pay attention to the fact that a child may take advantage of hunger to delay going to bed early. Parents should recognize and prevent the child from eating too much before bedtime.
Which types of foods are not suitable for children to eat before bedtime?
Foods high in sugar such as candy, sweets…
The Medical Journal of the American Obesity Association has published a persuasive study from Uppsala University, Sweden. This study has discovered a surprising fact: consuming sugar before bedtime can disrupt the brain’s electrical activity during deep sleep, thereby reducing sleep quality.
The reason for this phenomenon is explained by the fact that sugar and fat can stimulate brain activity, making the brain more alert and awake. Therefore, eating sweets before bedtime can make people dream throughout the night, pushing them into a state of light sleep and affecting deep sleep time.
Furthermore, the slow breakdown of sugar in sweet foods during sleep can lead to obesity. Therefore, if a child feels hungry before bedtime, they should avoid eating foods high in sugar such as sweets and candy.
Caffeine-containing foods
Caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, tea, and energy drinks may be a favorite choice for adults, but for children in the developmental stage, consuming them frequently or excessively is not recommended. This is because caffeine can stimulate the central nervous system, making it difficult for children to sleep or feel sleepy, thereby affecting sleep quality.
In addition, excessive caffeine use can have negative effects on the central nervous system of the human body, leading to conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure. The metabolism of caffeine in children is even weaker than that of adults, so consuming caffeine is not good for children.
Not only coffee and tea, but many other foods also contain caffeine, such as chocolate and cola. Parents should be aware of these hidden sources of caffeine.
Finally, if your child insists on consuming cola, coffee, tea, and other caffeine-containing beverages, try to avoid exposure to caffeine (whether in food or drinks) at least 6 hours before bedtime. This is because caffeine requires a long time to be metabolized by the body.
What can children eat before bedtime?
If a child feels hungry before bedtime, parents can consider giving them a warm glass of milk or enjoying a yogurt cup. In addition, other foods such as eggs, whole grains (such as oatmeal, corn), and fruits are also good choices.
For children who have the habit of drinking milk before bedtime, this can continue to be maintained. However, parents should be careful not to let the child keep a pacifier in their mouth when they sleep, as this can cause tooth decay and affect the shape of the lips.
Lastly, parents need to remind their children to limit the consumption of foods high in fat, salt, and sugar, not only before bedtime but also throughout the day.
“Two foods that can lower your child’s IQ that many parents are unaware of”
Many parents feed their children before bedtime because they fear that they might go hungry during the night. However, it is better to let the child go to sleep hungry than to give them these two things.
