Taking fish oil capsules or eating oily fish could improve children’s quality of sleep, say researchers.
Boosting levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in oily fish, resulted in children sleeping for longer and waking up less in the night, a study has shown.
Oxford University researchers gave children rated as poor sleepers algae supplements for four months, or a dummy capsule.
They studied 352 children aged seven to nine who were struggling readers at a mainstream primary school.
Parents filled in a questionnaire which showed that four in ten of the children suffered regular sleep disturbances.
The researchers fitted wrist sensors to 43 of the children rated as poor sleepers to monitor their movements in bed over five nights.
They found children taking the daily algae supplement had 58 minutes’ more sleep and seven fewer waking episodes per night compared with those on the placebo. The best dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids is oily fish.
Previous work by the team had discovered low levels of omega 3 fatty acids in children’s blood, which predicted how well they could concentrate at school.
The best dietary source of omega 3 fatty acids is oily fish because the human body cannot produce omega-3 fatty acids.
One of the key omega-3 fatty acids is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is thought to help nerve cells communicate with each other.
Children and adults are advised to eat fish at least twice a week, including one portion of oily fish such as salmon.
But fish eating by children under 10 has more than halved since 1999, with about one portion eaten a week on average.
The study, due to be published in the Journal of Sleep Research, found higher blood levels of the long-chain omega-3 DHA (the main omega-3 fatty acid found in the brain) were significantly associated with better sleep, including less bedtime resistance and total sleep disturbance.
Lead author Professor Paul Montgomery of Oxford University said: To find clinical level sleep problems in four in ten of this general population sample is a cause for concern.
Various substances made within the body from omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have long been known to play key roles in the regulation of sleep.
For example, lower ratios of DHA have been linked with lower levels of melatonin, and that would fit with our finding that sleep problems are greater in children with lower levels of DHA in their blood.’
Co-investigator Dr Alex Richardson of Oxford University said: Previous studies we have published showed that blood levels of omega-3 DHA in this general population sample of 7-9 year olds were alarmingly low overall, and this could be directly related to the children’s behaviour and learning.
Poor sleep could well help to explain some of those associations.
Further research is needed given the small number of children involved in the pilot study.
However, this randomised controlled trial does suggest that children’s sleep can be improved by DHA supplements and indicates yet another benefit of higher levels of omega-3 in the diet.’
Dr Carrie Ruxton, nutrition adviser to Equazen, said Previous clinical trials in children have reported that omega-3s help to boost school performance in children and this new study may help to explain why.
Getting a good night’s sleep is important for concentration and alertness during the day and it is good news that a simple dietary change can help children achieve this.
DHA is an essential nutrient in the brain as it is responsible for making brain cells fluid enough for electrical messages to pass in and out.
Low DHA intakes are widespread in the UK due to very low intakes of oily fish in children’s diets. For example, the latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey shows that only one in ten school aged children eat oily fish on a regular basis.
This is why a daily fish oil supplement such as Equazen eye q is a good idea for children, as well as a weekly salmon meal.’
Associated Newspapers Ltd