With Chloe standing by my bedside physically prising my eyelids open, it was clear my lie-in was over. “MUMMY!! Are you awake?” she said, sticking her finger up my nose for good measure. When I say lie-in, I use that term loosely. I am not sure that 7.03 on a Sunday morning qualifies. Fortunately (for her), with one, three and five am wake-ups in the not-too distant past, 7.03 was at least an improvement on infancy. I do try not to wish away the present but I can’t help but fantasize about my girls becoming sulky teenagers that don’t want to get out of bed. (I’m sure I’ll regret writing that.)And so it is that I’ve been giving some thought re achieving lie-in nirvana. Possibilities so far include electric fencing (their bedroom or ours, I am not fussy) and various forms of bribery and corruption. I have also turned to the curious world of food science for a strategy less likely to get me in trouble with Social Services.After doing a little research, I was disappointed to learn that tryptophan-rich food is not a simple magic bullet for a long and good night’s sleep. Rich sources of tryptophan turkey being the most popular are commonly thought of as sleep-inducing. The science bit goes like this: turkey is rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that is used by the body to make niacin (vitamin B3.) Niacin is used to make to make the brain chemical serotonin, which promotes well-being and relaxation. Serotonin in turn helps to make the hormone melatonin, which controls sleep and wake cycles.So the logic goes that tryptophan-rich food ultimately makes us sleepy. But if that were the case, chicken, meat, cheese, yoghurt, fish and eggs would also make us sleepy. And have your kids fallen asleep over their chicken nuggets? What about their strawberry yoghurt? Mine neither.The reality is that in fact, in order to affect serotonin levels, tryptophan needs assistance from stand-alone high carb foods. According to Elizabeth Somner, MA, RD and author of ‘Eat Your Way to Happiness’, a small all-carb snack (e.g. half a wholewheat bagel with agave or some plain popcorn) before bedtime, will help to utilise tryptophan stored from a previous meal and create the biggest boost of serotonin. I wonder then if the solution for kids who find it hard to go to sleep or stay asleep, is a tryptophan rich meal followed by an all-carb snack? It surely can’t hurt to try….!Bear in mind of course that if you are giving your child a bedtime snack, they still need to do their teeth afterwards. Also, if you’re worried about the quantity of food, then simply serve a smaller portion of carbs at dinner time. Whether or not you try out the all-carb snack with me this weekend, have a look at this recipe for turkey chili. Yes it’s tryptophan-rich, but it’s also very lean so a great alternative to beef chili, regardless of how much sleep you need.Turkey chili(serves 4)Ingredients:½ tbsp olive oil1 medium sized onion, finely chopped1 clove garlic, crushed1 pack 99% fat-free turkey mince1 tin organic kidney beans, well rinsed1 tin chopped tomatoes (find a sugar free brand)2 tbsps tomato puree1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce1 handful chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp driedMethod:l Heat the olive oil gently in a large, non stick pan with 2 tsps water. The water prevents the oil getting so hot that it burns.l Add the onion and garlic, stir and bring down the heat. Cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until the onions are clear and soft.l Add the turkey mince, turn up the heat to medium-hot and stir until the mince is lightly browned.l Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil briefly and then simmer for 40 minutes.l Season to taste and serve piping hot with brown rice or wholewheat pasta, and salad or green veg.The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the U.K. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. She can be contacted at nourishbda[AT]gmail.com