Nighttime wake-ups are the worst. And when you have twins, those overnight interruptions usually come in pairs, too.
There are things you can do to create a calming and relaxing ambiance once your twins are in their nursery, but once your babies are eating more than just breastmilk or formula, there are also things you can do before bedtime to help fuel a better slumber.
Like, giving them an evening snack that's packed with things that actually promote a restful sleep.
Wondering what fits the bill? Here are six of the best bedtime snacks that can help your multiples sleep more soundly through the night.
Six bedtime snacks for sound sleepers
1. Bananas
This fruit has magnesium and vitamin B6, which help to relax muscles and support both serotonin and melatonin production. It also has other sleep-promoting nutrients, like potassium and tryptophan.
2. Cherries
These tart treats are a source of melatonin, which helps regulate sleep-wake cycles and can improve sleep duration, quality, and efficiency. They also have antioxidants and tryptophan, which also support sleep.
3. Eggs
Eggs are a great source of tryptophan, an amino acid your body converts into serotonin and then into melatonin, which helps regulate sleep cycles. Eggs also have choline, which helps regulate REM sleep. If you opt for this snack, avoid adding high-fat foods (e.g., bacon or buttered toast) because they can disrupt sleep.
4. Kiwis
This fruit has a high concentration of serotonin, antioxidants, and folate, which work together to promote relaxation, bring on sleep faster, and reduce sleep disturbances.
5. Nuts
Nuts like almonds, cashews, and walnuts are rich in magnesium and healthy fats, so they promote muscle relaxation and can improve sleep quality. A small handful (about one ounce) is all you need for an evening snack that supports uninterrupted sleep.
6. Salmon
This flavourful fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D3, which regulate serotonin and melatonin production, helping you fall asleep faster and improving your overall sleep quality.
What makes these snacks so good before bedtime?
Deeper, more restorative sleep could be only a few night-snacks away.
From bananas, cherries, and kiwis, to eggs, nuts, or salmon, these bedtime bites are filled with vitamins and nutrients that work together to calm your little ones' nervous systems while supporting melatonin production to help with sleep duration.
Preventing nighttime wake-ups has never been more delicious.
Plan for one of these slumber-friendly between 30 and 60 minutes before bedtime to help fuel a more restful sleep for your twins—and, as a result, everyone else in your household, too.
Do you deal with plenty of overnight wake-ups with your twins? Try some of these bedtime snacks out and let us know how they impact your overnights. Let us know in the Comments section below or connect with us on Instagram to share your thoughts!
Read more
Making Sense of the Noise: 4 Sound Machines to Create a Peaceful Ambiance
There's no sense in sugarcoating it. Life with twins can be loud. There are times when your twins will play nicely, either independently or together, and there are times when they'll squabble and let their frustrations be known. But when it's bedtime, the noise needs to dial back and make way for a peaceful ambiance and rejuvenating rest. Enter: a different kind of noise. White noise...
How to Adjust Your Twins’ Sleep Schedule When the Clocks Fall Back
It's that time of year we can always count on some people to shake their fist at. Daylight Savings Time will once again be coming to an end, and the clocks will go back one hour. Once we Fall Back, we'll get more light in the morning and less light in the evening. Some parents dread this time of year because it wreaks havoc on their babies' sleep schedule, which, of course, wreaks...
NextNap Tool from Nanit Predicts Personalized Nap Times for Your Twins
When you're a parent of newborn twins, you become a scheduling master pretty quickly. You keep your babies on the same schedule, as much as you reasonably can, because, let's be serious, it's just not always possible to keep your new little humans on the exact same schedule all the time. But when the stars align and your babies' nap schedules align, too, you can take advantage of a...
This Portable Pro Baby Monitor is Perfect if You’re Welcoming Twins
When you have two newborn babies at home, it can be twice as nerve-racking because there's always the chance that something could happen to not just one of them, but both of them—at the same time. Let's face it, you need to sleep at some point, even if those moments are abundantly scarce and the quality is incredibly inadequate. Having the right system in place for keeping an eye on...