According to a report on March 6 by the British Daily Mail, a new study from the University of Oxford, published in the US Journal of Sleep Research, found that children taking fish oil capsules or regularly eating fatty fish can improve their sleep quality and sleep more soundly. Increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids can allow children to sleep longer and have fewer night awakenings.
Pan-Seared Salmon
In the new study, Oxford University researchers studied 352 primary school students aged 7 to 9. The parents of these children completed a questionnaire survey regarding their children's diet and sleep. The survey showed that 40% of the children had sleep problems. Researchers gave 43 children with poor sleep a daily supplement of algae rich in omega-3 fatty acids or a placebo for four consecutive months, and had these children wear wrist sensors to monitor their sleep for five nights.
The comparative analysis found that children with higher levels of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA in their blood had significantly better sleep. Compared to the placebo group, children who took the algae supplement slept 58 minutes longer each night and had 7 fewer night awakenings.
Professor Paul Montgomery, the lead researcher of the new study, analyzed that the key factor for fish improving children's sleep is that the omega-3 fatty acid DHA in fatty fish promotes communication between nerve cells. The lower the DHA, the lower the melatonin. And melatonin directly affects sleep quality.
UK health guidelines recommend that children and adults eat fish at least twice a week, including one portion of fatty fish such as salmon. The best food sources of omega-3 fatty acids are deep-sea fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna.