4 Natural Ingredients to Calm Your Child’s Nervous System

December 19, 2025

What if the real reason your child won’t settle is a nervous system that just won’t switch off?

When kids are overstimulated and can’t seem to wind down, it’s usually because their nervous system is stuck in full “alert” mode. When their brains won’t switch off, even the simplest evenings can feel like Mission Impossible—testing the patience of everyone involved!

A better approach for helping kids settle might involve supporting their nervous system with natural, science-backed ingredients like magnesium, passionflower, chamomile, and LactiumPURE™ (a special milk protein called alpha casozepine), found in Calm Care for Kids. This combination can help flick the “On” switch down to “Quiet Mode.” In this article, we’ll explore how each ingredient works and share simple, practical tips to help your little one feel calmer and more relaxed, both at bedtime and throughout the day.

Why Your Child Can’t Switch Off

Think of your child’s nervous system like a busy switchboard. Lots of new information, social interactions, and learning throughout the day can flip multiple “on” switches, keeping their brain bright and alert when it should be winding down. If stimulation doesn’t ease, it can make it harder for kids to settle at night. Ingredients like magnesium, passionflower, chamomile, and LactiumPURE™ work on the brain’s main “slow down” pathways, helping reduce stress signals, calm overactive circuits, and support a smoother, more restful sleep.

Four Kid-Friendly Ingredients to Help Little Ones Relax

Calm Care for Kids is made with four carefully selected ingredients, each chosen to gently support emotional balance and calm growing nervous systems, helping little minds feel more settled every day. Here is everything you need to know about how these ingredients work and what benefits you can expect:

Magnesium: The Relaxation Mineral

If your child’s body seems tired but their brain won’t slow down, magnesium may be part of the missing piece. Magnesium helps calm overactive brain signals by gently turning down the “noise” in the nervous system and supporting the brain’s natural calming messenger, GABA. In simple terms, it helps the brain stop overfiring and start settling.¹

In adult studies, magnesium supplementation has been linked to falling asleep faster, deeper sleep, and better overall sleep quality—especially when stress or anxiety is part of the picture.¹ While this research is mainly in adults, it gives us helpful clues about how magnesium supports relaxation.

For kids, magnesium needs change with age, diet, and individual sensitivity. That’s why it’s important to get personalised advice, especially if your child has digestive issues, medical conditions, or takes medication.

Parent tip: Magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, legumes, avocado, almonds, and cashews paired with a calm bedtime routine can gently support the body’s natural wind-down process.¹

Passionflower: Nature’s Calm

Passionflower has a long history of use for anxious, restless minds, and modern research helps explain why: It works with the brain’s GABA pathways, helping reduce mental “buzz” and encouraging a steadier, calmer state.²

In sleep studies, passionflower has been shown to increase deep sleep and reduce nighttime wakefulness, suggesting more settled, restorative rest.²

Think of it this way: if bedtime feels like a jumping castle of thoughts and energy, passionflower acts like a soft landing mat, helping the brain come down gently instead of crashing.

Smiling toddler feeling calm and happy playing with a kite

Chamomile: The Gentle Bedtime Classic

Chamomile is more than just a common herbal tea; it has real calming chemistry behind it. Its natural compounds interact with calming receptors in the brain, creating mild, soothing effects that can support relaxation and sleep.³

Research shows chamomile may help reduce night waking and improve overall sleep quality, even if total sleep time doesn’t always change.³ For many families, this gentler settling can make a big difference to how rested everyone feels.

LactiumPURE™ Alpha Cazopine: Calming From Within

LactiumPURE™ is a specialised milk-derived peptide that works on the brain’s calming pathways.⁴ In adult studies, LactiumPURE™ has been shown to improve sleep efficiency, help people fall asleep faster, and support longer, more consolidated sleep, especially with continued use over several weeks.⁴

While most research has been done in adults, the way LactiumPURE™ supports the brain’s “calm switch” closely aligns with what we know about sleep biology in children. However, it's not recommended for kids with milk protein allergies or lactose intolerance. Compared to pharmaceutical sleep aids, which can come with side effects like next-day grogginess or nighttime behaviours, ingredients like alpha casozepine aim to support sleep more gently by working with the nervous system rather than forcing it.⁴

Practical wind-down support tips you can start tonight

When it comes to better sleep, supplements work best when paired with consistent daily habits. Creating predictable routines, reducing stimulation, and supporting the body throughout the day helps calm the nervous system, so gentle supplements can work more effectively. Here are our experts’ top 4 tips to support calmer nights and better sleep.

Create predictability

Keep bedtimes and wake times consistent, even on weekends
Follow the same calming routine each night (bath, story, cuddles, lights out)

Reduce stimulation

Aim for 60–90 minutes of screen-free wind-down time
Keep devices out of the bedroom
Avoid caffeine, chocolate, and stimulating foods in the evening

Set the scene

Cool, dark, quiet bedrooms support deeper sleep
White noise can help block city or household sounds
A favourite soft toy can act as a comfort cue (age appropriate)

Support the body during the day

Daylight exposure and outdoor movement help reset the body clock
Balanced evening meals with protein, complex carbs, and magnesium-rich foods can support calm later on

Gentle Support for Busy Little Nervous Systems

If your child struggles to switch off, you’re not doing anything wrong, and they’re not being difficult. Often, their nervous system just needs a little extra support. While ingredients like magnesium, passionflower, chamomile, and LactiumPURE™ within Calm Care for Kids can play a helpful role, the best approach is always personalised.

If you’re unsure where to start, or want guidance tailored to your child’s age, needs, and sensitivities, reach out to a qualified healthcare practitioner. In the meantime, explore our articles below to learn more about supporting children with effective, evidence-based natural supplements.