Why What You Eat Could Be Waking You Up at Night

The Sleep-Food Connection

Today I am reflecting on the relationship between healthy eating and sleep.  This morning, I was listening to the audiobook “The Sleep Prescription” by Aric A. Prather, Ph.D.  I’ve been slowly working through his sleep “class” in HeadSpace and decided to listen to his audiobook as I work to improve sleep both for myself and for my clients.  I’m just on day 2 at the moment, but this quote really struck me.

“Carb lovers, pay attention here: carbs are an interesting case. Studies have unearthed that while most carbohydrates will actually help you fall asleep faster, only certain types will help you stay asleep. Simple and sugary carbs (think pizza, white bread, bagels, pasta) can cause more wake ups throughout the night. In contrast, complex carbs (again, these are the more high-fiber foods like sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and whole grains) can stabilize your sleep patterns—possibly, Dr. St-Onge theorizes, because they also stabilize your blood sugar.[11]” Excerpt From The Sleep Prescription by Aric A. Prather, PhD  https://books.apple.com/book/id1608147733 This material may be protected by copyright.

My Own Sleep & Glucose Journey

Lately I have discovered that my waking glucose levels are consistently in the pre-diabetic range.  I have been using the Stelo non-prescription continuous glucose monitor and reading books like Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means and The Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchaupé.   And my sister-in-law gave me an extra Oura ring, which connects with the Stelo to give insights between glucose and other biomarkers! (Such an amazing gift… although I warn that there is an ongoing fee to use the Oura ring in addition to the up-front cost of the ring itself but also I think it’s totally worth it!).

I am learning to use the Glucose Goddess hacks to reduce glucose spikes.  The other day I was looking for an audiobook to read and found The Glucose Goddess Method book, and I am starting on week 1 (savory breakfasts).

A Win: My Sleep-Friendly Snack Experiment

Last night I had “breakfast ice cream” (a recipe from The Glucose Goddess Method savory breakfast chapter) before bed with cherries, and I also added another layer of darkness by wearing a hoodie over my head in addition to my usual eye mask headphones.  And for once I slept through until 5:15 AM when the sun came up!

I learned from an Oura article that tart cherries are a natural source of tryptophan and melatonin—two compounds that support sleep. It’s a helpful guide to foods and drinks that may promote better rest. That said, many of the items on the list (like juice or bananas) can also spike blood sugar, which—as we've seen—can work against healthy sleep. What I loved about my bedtime snack last night is that it combined the “foods to eat before bed” with blood sugar-balancing strategies: tart cherries, full-fat yogurt, and a spoonful of nut butter. It was tasty and stabilizing. I’m not sure if it was the snack or the extra hoodie I pulled over my eyes (on top of my eye mask headphones!) that made the difference, but I actually slept through the night until 5:15 AM (which is sadly rare for me). My blood sugar barely moved, and my fasting glucose this morning was just a little closer to “normal.”

Adapting the Glucose Goddess Method for Families

But the Glucose Goddess Method is written for adults.  How would you adapt it for kids? (Keeping in mind that I speak from the perspective of an “awesome differentiating behavior-changing ninja” rather than as a medical provider and offer this as “how to make this work for us” rather than “Is this right for us?” which is a question for your doctor!)

The Glucose Goddess Method is a 4-week plan for reducing glucose spikes. I love the fact that the approach is about ADDING strategies, not REMOVING or blaming poor food choices.  So in week 1, we focus on eating a savory breakfast that is based on protein and fat and fiber (veggies).  In week 2, she suggests focusing on having one tablespoon per day of vinegar.  In week 3, she suggests adding a vegetable starter to one meal a day.  Week 4 is all about moving our bodies for 10 minutes within 90 minutes of eating at least once per day.

I’m in week 1 and focusing on savory breakfasts at the moment. I’ll keep you posted on what I learn along the way.

Week 1: Savory Breakfasts

If your kid likes eggs, that helps of course.  But she also has several recipes for using full fat plain yogurt, adding an extra protein source (and not adding any sugar) with some fruit.  If this is too big of a jump for you or your kid right now, how could you REDUCE the added sugar one little bit at a time?

Week 2: A Spoonful of Vinegar

In week 2 we reduce glucose spikes by including 1 tablespoon of vinegar in our day.  Let’s be real here. That might be harder to get a kid to accept.  I’m looking forward to trying out some of the recipes to see what might be more kid friendly.  I know that in Healthy Kids, Happy Kids, Dr. Song suggests adding small amounts of sauerkraut juice into ketchup to help get used to the taste, and that certainly has helped me recently.  And of course, every kid is going to react differently.

Week 3: Veggie Starter

Here I would suggest taking a look at what veggies your kids will eat and work from there.  If the answer is “none”, then it’s time to start experimenting and modeling.  You could try some recipes from The Glucose Goddess Method or from something like Elizabeth Pantley’s No-Cry Picky Eater Solution.  The Ellyn Satter Institute has some great materials on feeding responsibilities that review what you are responsible for as a parent in a feeding situation.  Can you MAKE a kid eat?  No.  But you can offer. You can be thoughtful. You can make mealtimes enjoyable.

Week 4: Move After Meals

When it comes to exercise after a meal, MAYBE we can force our kids to walk with us.  (But honestly right now when it’s too hot for an outdoor walk, my dog Charlie is seriously not happy with me when I walk in place.  We need to find a compromise here!). But what I’ve noticed in working with kids and families over the years is that what works the best in the long term is for the ADULTS to model the behavior and INVITE kids to join us without any pressure.  If kids see us doing it and they see that we are enjoying it and feeling better, that can spread.

Start with You: Modeling Healthy Habits

With all of these strategies, whether it’s savory breakfasts, vinegar, a veggie starter, or moving after meals, our focus needs to be on MODELING the behavior that we want our kid to catch.  Then we want to break our goals into small, manageable pieces and celebrate the small wins with no judgment or punishment — for ourselves or our family members.

Your Mission: Make Healthy Choices Contagious

So where do we go from here?  Your mission is to improve sleep for yourself and your family by making healthy eating contagious and reducing glucose spikes, noticing how it changes YOUR mood and what works for making it contagious.  Take it at your own pace.  Do you want to do one Glucose Goddess hack a week?  Great!  Do you need two or three weeks?  Do it!  Any lessons learned that you want to share? Let me know!

50 ways to take a break

This is a handout that I reference a lot both to generate ideas for myself and for my clients. I use it both for breaks and for celebrations! Which one are you going to do next?

50 ways to take a break!

Tired & Stressed? These Simple Habits Will Change Your Life

Routines have been a fundamental part of my life since I got married (25 years ago!) and especially during times when I’ve had a young child and/or a dog at home (the last 16+ years). Here are some of my favorite sources of my favorite routines. The challenging part is to not try to do them all at once! Pick one or two to start with! Break things into small pieces, and if you need some support, read out to me and let’s chat!

Remember DEER:

Drink water

Eat something nutritious

Exercise

Rest

DEER: Drink water, Eat something nutritious, Exercise, and Rest. I learned this acronym from GriefShare, and I use it pretty much all the time. I ask my body: Body, what do you need next? Do you need some water, food, movement, or rest? Then I read Healthy Kids, Happy Kids by Dr. Elisa Song, and she calls it the “5 Things Challenge” for gut health. Part II of the book is: Create microbiome magic with the 5 things your child does every day: hydrate, nourish (what we eat or don’t eat), move, breathe, and prioritize sleep. Can you see how these 5 things are exactly the same 5 things as DEER? Rest is just broken down into two pieces: breathing and prioritizing sleep!

Once the DEER basics are in place, I would take a look at relationship routines. For that I would go to the Gottman Institute for the 6 hours a week to a better relationship. While 6 hours seems like a lot, many of them are things that take less than 10 minutes a day, and truthfully you are probably doing many of them without even realizing it. For example, we can create routines for kissing hello and goodbye to our partner or for giving long hugs to our kids. We can create routines for physical affection, for the “how was your day?” conversation, and for expressing appreciation and fondness to one another. The key is to turn them from unconscious and inconsistent to conscious and growing in consistency.

To me, routines are important because they help us to break tasks into smaller pieces and reduce overwhelm. One of the first ways that I learned to do this is with FlyLady.net way back as a newlywed. She says “I can do anything for 15 minutes!” I tend to say “I can do anything for 3 minutes!” but the concept is the same. Her work was influential for me to learn to reduce perfectionism and all or nothing thinking and to do one baby step at a time.

Guiding Families Toward Rest, Connection, and Joy

At Little Elf Family Services, I believe that parenting isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. Families thrive when they feel supported, equipped, and empowered, and my work is designed to help parents move from exhaustion and frustration to confidence and joy.

As a sleep consultant, marriage and parenting coach, and early childhood special educator, I blend evidence-based strategies with compassionate support. My approach draws from experts like John & Julie Gottman, Bruce Perry, Stewart Brown, Brené Brown, and Dan Siegel, helping families find solutions that align with their values and unique needs.

A Calm & Connected Approach to Parenting

Parenting can feel overwhelming, but struggle and confrontation don’t have to be the norm. Clients often express relief when they realize they don’t have to panic over each new challenge. Instead, they learn to approach problems with a steady, thoughtful perspective, making small shifts that create lasting positive change.

“We knew we didn't need to panic when facing a new problem as you would be there, guiding us.”
“We’re also constantly amazed by how your parenting philosophy has minimized confrontation and struggle, and allowed us to focus on the happy and joyful moments that our child brings us.”

Empowering Families with Practical Tools

I provide resources, guidance, and encouragement—but the real magic happens when families take those tools and make them their own. My work isn’t about fixing families; it’s about helping them find their own strengths and rhythm.

"She won’t do the work for you—but she will give you resources, tools, and support to do it yourself. And she will be cheering you on every step of the way.”

Science-Backed Strategies for Real-Life Parenting

From gentle start-up conversations (a Gottman-based approach that reduces conflict) to completing stress cycles (so parents don’t carry frustration day after day), my work is rooted in strategies that make a real difference. Laughter, connection, and small, consistent changes help families shift from surviving to thriving.

"We are better parents, a better couple, and better people for knowing her and having worked with her."

Whether you’re navigating infant sleep, toddler emotions, or the ups and downs of parenting, my goal is to help you feel rested, connected, and confident—so you can focus on what truly matters: the joyful moments in family life.

**This post was created by ChatGPT to summarize my work and includes real testimonials from real people that I have served. I love it and it fits me beautifully, so I am sharing it here.

Breathing Techniques for Kids

Blow big bubbles to practice slow, calm breaths. Then see how you can blow many small bubbles when you breathe faster!

While we are on the topic of breathing, here are some other breathing strategies that I recommend to my clients often:

• Kira Willey’s Mindful Moments for Kids

• Conscious Discipline breathing exercises for kids and parents (YouTube playlist)

• My favorite Conscious Discipline breathing video

While researching for this blog post, I also found this cute puffer fish that goes up and down as you breathe and I kind of love it!

Also I love to remind parents that blowing bubbles is an awesome way to practice breathing! Blow big bubbles to practice slow, calm breaths. Then see how you can blow many small bubbles when you breathe faster! Can you blow bubbles with belly breathing? Just know that shaking bubbles or waving the wand inside of the bubble solution will make the solution get foamy and stop working.

Reminder: Why practice breathing with your kids? It builds calm. It tells the brain that they are safe, which can help them to think more clearly and make better decisions. It can help to reduce cortisol, which can be helpful as part of a pre-sleep routine to help prepare the body for rest and shut off from a busy day. It also helps with gut health, according to Dr. Elisa Song of the book Healthy Kids, Happy Kids.

April additions: One of the things I love to do is to use the things that kids already know and love and build on it! So recently I found:

Pokemon breathing!

Minecraft breathing!

Dinosaur breathing!

What would YOUR kids add to this list? Can you find some videos on YouTube? Share them with me!