5 Natural Sleep Aids for Kids

Children need at least eight hours of sleep to help their minds and bodies grow healthy. Unfortunately, some kids have trouble sleeping at night.

Fortunately, there are natural sleep aids that could ease dozing off. They should be your first choice since over-the-counter meds could cause adverse effects.

This article will discuss five natural sleep remedies for children. Later, it will suggest other routines and OTC meds that might help.

1. Herbal tea
2. Tart cherry juice
3. Lavender oil on a pillow
4. Dried passionflower tea or extracted oil
5. Magnesium

1. Herbal Tea

Many parts of the world sip tea in the morning instead of coffee. You could date the practice back to ancient China, where people recognized it as a natural sleep aid.

You should look for valerian root, magnolia, and chamomile tea on store shelves. Make sure your tea does not have caffeine, the ingredient that helps people stay awake.

Also, check for ingredients that could trigger their allergies. Put a teabag in a cup of warm water and let it sit for a few minutes. 

Then, give it to your child at least an hour or two before bedtime. That would help them relax and use the bathroom before sleeping. 

Note that some children cannot stand the taste of warm leaf juice. In that case, you could sweeten it with sugar or honey. Alternatively, you could turn it into milk tea by adding milk.

2. Tart cherry juice

Cherry juice from tart cherries can increase melatonin production. The latter is the hormone that signals your body to sleep. 

Studies prove that tart cherry juice helps people stay asleep longer. Afterward, they felt more relaxed than people who woke up without drinking the red juice.

Note that tart cherry juice tastes sour. You may want to add sugar or honey to sweeten the drink. Don’t add too much, or your kid could stay awake due to a sugar rush.

3. Lavender oil on a pillow

Most people recognize lavender as one of the most popular natural sleep aids. It could be the best choice for your child if he or she does not like tea or cherry juice.

You could place a drop on your child’s pillow before he or she sleeps. On the other hand, you could use other essential oils from bergamot and chamomile.

Moreover, a diffuser could spread that scent into your kid’s bedroom. Note that excessive use may keep your kid awake or harm their breathing.

4. Use dried passionflower tea or its extract oil.

Passionflower is not the same as passion fruit. It is a fast-growing vine that produces bright-colored flowers. Studies suggest it could have the potential to cure insomnia.

More importantly, it is one of the natural sleep aids for kids. Your child could drink it as tea or place a drop of its oil on a pillow.

Like the herbal tea earlier, you could add honey or sugar to improve the taste. Note that too much sugar could keep your child from sleeping at night.

However, pregnant and breastfeeding women should not use this remedy. Passionflower contains chemicals that may induce labor and lacks safety assurance for breastfeeding moms.

5. Magnesium

Some of the best natural sleep aids for children come from regular foods. For example, Magnesium is a mineral that regulates essential body processes, especially sleep.

You can find it in nuts, soy milk, whole grains, yogurt, spinach, and seeds. Give those as a snack for your child an hour or two before bedtime.

You may also cook meals that use these foods as ingredients. Aside from helping your kid sleep, you may provide essential nutrients. 

Note that giving them too much could cause overdose reactions. Alternatively, you could give your kid a vitamin supplement with magnesium.

Other ways to help your kid sleep

Aside from these natural sleep aids, ensure your kid sleeps at a specific time at night. Sticking to a schedule will condition the body to sleep during that period.

Your child should also refrain from staring at screens during bedtime. These include smartphones, tablets, PCs, and TV screens.

You may want a night light if your child gets nervous in the dark. On the other hand, you may dim the lights or leave a small one near their bed.

They emit blue light that prompts the brain to stay awake. Also, you may want to try making your kid wear socks. As a result, the blood vessels may loosen and facilitate sleep.

You may want to turn the AC up to increase the room temperature. Your kid may need it nowadays as winter approaches. Also, you may try giving warm milk.

It is one of the most common natural sleep aids for kids. Aside from helping them rest, it could help your child develop strong bones and muscles.

Some adults take OTC meds for sleep, such as Nyquil. However, they can have negative side effects for adults and be more dangerous for children. 

Some kids may use Nyquil to follow a hazardous TikTok challenge named Nyquil Chicken. You may have seen the news about people cooking chicken fillets in the medicine as a sleep aid.

Consult a pediatrician first before offering any medication. Also, keep them in a location your child cannot reach, such as a tall cabinet.

Conclusion

Try natural sleep aids for kids before using OTC drugs. They could help you save money and prevent unintended effects on children. Note that this article does not offer medical advice.

Consult a pediatrician if your child has trouble sleeping at night. Do not purchase OTC meds for them without a prescription.

You and your kid may want to read Inquirer USA before bed. Its articles will help you end your day with the latest news and updates.

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