151: Could Your Picky Eater Need More…Sleep??!

You know how even though it feels like what happens to our body might not affect the mind and vice versa? That’s not the only place where seemingly unrelated systems are actually interdependent…

We have one body to work with on this journey called life, and it’s alllll connected.

Sarah Fenrich, an occupational therapist, and sleep coach joins me today to talk about a hidden factor in picky eating, as well as:

• Foods to eat and avoid to support sleep
• The struggle with figuring out a child’s appropriate bedtime (Sarah makes this so much easier!)
• Why sleep isn’t even the problem 😮
• The dessert substitution packed with melatonin, perfect for an evening snack
• One thing all parents should avoid as MUCH as possible (and the ramifications if we don’t)

If you’d like to hear more from Sarah, check out her workshop “How to manage your child’s challenging behaviors & teach emotion-regulation“ running on Thursday, February 17th, 2022, (7 day access to the recording)

In this parent education workshop, you will learn about common causes of challenging behaviors in kids and how to manage them. You will get many easy-to-apply strategies to prevent and better cope with difficult behaviors in children while teaching them emotion-regulation strategies that they will benefit from for a lifetime. Register here.

Sarah also has an upcoming workshop on “Making sense of the sensitive child & how to teach sensory regulation“ running on April 30, 2022, (7 day access to the recording).

This workshop will help you better understand your sensitive child and teach you easy-to-apply sensory regulation strategies. Kids with sensory processing issues behave in ways that look confusing. They might react strongly to loud noises or bright lights, or complain that their clothes are uncomfortable. Some kids show extreme behaviours like screaming when their face gets wet or melting down at an unexpected change. Learn to help your child better cope with everyday situations and teach them hands-on sensory-regulation strategies. Register here.

Can’t see the video? Watch Picky Eating and Sleep here on YouTube!

No time for the video? Here are the notes!

The Unexpected Link Between Picky Eating and Sleep

• 1:15: Today I’m here with occupational therapist Sarah Fenrich to talk about the link between picky eating and sleep.
• 2:35: Sarah explains what an occupational therapist (OT) does with children. They help children become more functional in life: playing, developing social skills, learning to feed or dress themselves, etc. They work with lots of kids who have sensory processing disorders.

• 5:00: After over 10 years of practicing as an OT, Sarah began working as a sleep coach. She noticed the parents she worked with were overtired, when she asked more questions she realized the child usually had a sleep challenge. If a child isn’t sleeping well, they can’t focus and remember what they’re learning in therapy. Get tips for you as a parent to sleep like a boss.

• 8:10: Kids and adults were overtired because they were staying up too late, or struggling to fall asleep for bedtimes or naps. Night wakings and insomnia also play a role for some kids. Frequent night wakings can be a sign of chronic sleep deprivation. Get healthy sleep for the whole family.
• 11:11: Sleep can even be a factor in picky eating. This blew my mind!

• 12:00: Sarah shares a story of a 2.5-year-old she worked with who had a very limited diet and poor feeding habits.
• 13:35: The “sleep window” is when you see signs of tiredness such as kids yawning and rubbing their eyes. If you stay awake past this, you’ll get a second wind which really means you’re staying up too late, it’s not an extra boost to get more done!  If your child gets a second wind and then is going crazy and can’t stay still or fall asleep, you’re missing their sleep window. Gentle sleep training for attachment parents.

If your child is rubbing their eyes, you’ve nearly missed their sleep window! -Sarah Fenrich

• 16:05: Start paying attention to your child’s sleep signs. Take note when they begin yawning, rubbing their eyes and when the second wind hits. If they aren’t falling asleep in 15-20 minutes, you’re not putting them to bed in their optimal sleep window.

If your child takes 30-60 minutes or longer to fall asleep it’s not the child’s fault. It’s your fault for missing their sleep window. -Sarah Fenrich

• 17:20: If you have a picky eater and you’re seeing signs of being overtired, maybe that’s your clue that you need to work on sleep to solve some of your picky eating struggles.
• 17:42: Let’s talk about foods and nutrients to focus on if your child is having sleep problems. Low iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin C can cause sleep disturbances.

• 20:26: Avoid foods high in sugar, especially right before bed. You can still have dessert, it doesn’t need to be full of sugar. Make your own freezer pops using leftover smoothies sweetened with fruit, eat fruit for dessert or choose something a little bit sweet that’s balanced with protein and fat content like this gluten-free mudball recipe.
• 21:43: Cherries promote sleep because they contain melatonin. Bananas and kiwi are some other sleep-promoting fruit. Milk, almond milk, yogurt, almonds, walnuts are other healthy options for an after-dinner snack.

• 23:40: Sarah shares some ranges of how many hours of sleep children need in a day.
• 25:29: When determining bedtime, look at your child’s sleep signs and when they wake up. Sarah has some tips for figuring out your child’s ideal bedtime and wake time.
• 28:53: Let’s talk about some happy stories of kids who have improved sleep.

• 33:11: We end with one super practical step you can take today if you have a child struggling with sleep.
• 34:15: Sarah shares a bit more about what she does as a sleep coach and how she could support your family virtually.

Resources We Mention for Picky Eating and Sleep

• Jump into the No More Picky Eating Challenge for more help
• Helping kids who have sensory processing disorders
• Get tips for you as a parent to sleep like a boss
• Get healthy sleep for the whole family
• Gentle sleep training for attachment parents
• Make your own freezer pops using leftover smoothies sweetened with fruit, eat fruit for dessert or choose something a little bit sweet that’s balanced with protein and fat content like this gluten-free mudball recipe
• 5 weird tools to improve your sleep without spending a lot of $$
• 7 strategies to improve sleep quality
• The secret to healing sleep
• Find Sarah online at Holistic Sleep Solutions
• Follow her on Facebook

Sarah studied Occupational Therapy in Germany. She has always been passionate about supporting children with developmental delays and their families. She has more than 14 years of experience and has helped hundreds of people working as an OT in Germany, Austria, the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
In 2011 she fell in love with Vancouver, where she now lives with her husband and 8-year-old daughter. In 2018 she founded “Holistic Sleep Solutions” as she felt that sleep is an essential building block of a healthy and happy life. She provides in-person and virtual support for babies, toddlers, older children, and their families. She pairs her extensive knowledge and expertise as an occupational therapist at Real World Kids OT with a holistic, gentle, and attachment-based approach to improve her client’s sleep, their overall physical and mental health, and their ability to function thus enhancing their quality of life. Being fluent in English, German and Spanish allow her to support clients internationally.