Bananas are a popular on-the-go breakfast and a beloved smoothie addition, but did you know they could also help with a good night’s rest? One viral TikTok hack has opened up people’s eyes to the snoozing powers of this yellow fruit – especially for kids.
A mom named Allison, who runs the account @agoyneee_xo on TikTok, posted a video on the topic, which racked up more than 355,000 likes and 4.5 million plays. In the clip, she credits giving her daughter a banana before bed with keeping her asleep through the night. She made it a nightly routine and called it the “most life-changing” parenting tip she’s found on TikTok. She also explained how easy it is to give her young daughter in another TikTok clip because she simply asks for it.
The Science Behind Bananas and Sleep
So what’s the science behind it? Bananas are high in magnesium and tryptophan (a precursor for serotonin), which makes them a great snack to promote sleep. They’re also potassium-rich, which in addition to helping you snooze, can fight off leg cramps. Both magnesium and potassium are natural muscle relaxers.
Want to step your banana game up? We recommend frozen bananas whipped up in a food processor as a dessert alternative and sleep booster, as well as banana peel tea.
5 Snacks to Eat for Great Sleep
Already eating bananas on the daily and need some other sleep-nurturing foods? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a list of some other snacks you or your children can try.
- Cherries – This fruit is one of the rare few to contain natural melatonin, and tart cherry juice has also been found to combat insomnia.
- Cereal and milk – A world classic combo. A whole-grain, low-sugar cereal offers a great mix of complex carbs and protein. Milk also contains tryptophan.
- Almonds – They’re a great source of melatonin and offer 19 percent of your daily magnesium, according to Healthline. If you want to get a little fancier, we also recommend almond butter on a slice of whole-grain toast.
- Sweet potatoes – “Sweet potatoes are great sources of potassium, magnesium, and calcium to help you relax,” Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN told Good Housekeeping.
- Oatmeal – Cynthia Pasquella, CCN, CHLC, CWC, also told Good Housekeeping that oatmeal is melatonin-rich, triggers insulin production, and naturally raises your blood sugar —making you feel more sleepy.
For more sleep-promoting eats, check out these 10 snacks that can promote great sleep.
Tried one of these snacks yourself or given them to your kiddos? Loyal to a sleep-promoting snack that didn’t make the list? Tell us more! Send a note to carley.prendergast@pillarfour.com.