Better sleep with omega-3s?
Can omega-3 help those with insomnia?
There seems to be an association in children between better sleep quality and higher blood concentrations of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Supplements containing this polyunsaturated fatty acid not only promote uninterrupted sleep but also increase its duration.
This was discovered by researchers at the University of Oxford in England, published in the journal Journal of Sleep Research in recent months.
Omega-3 and sleep difficulties: there is a connection
Sleep disorders in children cause health, behavioral, and cognitive problems; similar to those associated with Omega-3 deficiencies. Previous studies have suggested a link between poor sleep and low Omega-3 levels in infants and children with learning or behavioral difficulties. However, knowledge about this relationship and the possible role of these fatty acids in sleep regulation remains limited.
An extra hour of sleep thanks to DHA
The study involved 362 children in the UK, aged between 7 and 9 years. At the start of the trial, parents completed a questionnaire assessing their children’s sleep habits over one week, revealing that 40% of the children—an alarming number according to the researchers—had clinical problems including resistance to going to bed, anxiety, and waking during the night. Each child was then given daily supplements containing 600 mg of DHA or a placebo for 16 weeks. The research team measured Omega-3 and Omega-6 levels using blood samples taken from the fingertip. Wrist sensors monitored 43 children with sleep disorders. Results showed that compared to children receiving placebo, those taking DHA daily slept 58 minutes longer and woke less frequently during the night.
A discovery to investigate further
According to the researchers, this finding aligns with those revealing that low DHA levels are linked to reduced concentrations of the hormone melatonin, which is known to regulate sleep-wake cycles. Further studies will be needed, given the small number of children involved in this study, to confirm this link. It would also be advisable to collect a wider range of demographic variables on the subjects. In any case, the study suggests that children’s sleep can be improved with DHA supplements, adding yet another benefit of high Omega-3 levels in the diet.
Source: Paul Montgomery, et al “Fatty acids and sleep in UK children: subjective and pilot objective sleep results from the DOLAB study - a randomized controlled trial”. Journal of Sleep Research, doi: 10.1111/jsr.12135, published online 8 March 2014. University of Oxford news release, accessed 14 March 2014.
