Having trouble getting a good night's sleep? You might want to add more fish to your plate or consider fish oil supplements. That's the upshot of a new clinical trial by the University of Oxford that suggests higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with better sleep.
The study, to be published in the Journal of Sleep Research, found the form of omega-3s known as DHA — long-chain fatty acids found in algae and seafood — are particularly helpful to getting an adequate amount of shuteye.
"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," said lead researcher Paul Montgomery. "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 [people] with lower levels of DHA in their blood."
To reach their conclusions, researchers tracked the sleep quality of 362 children — 40 percent of whom had sleep problems. Some of the children were given daily 600-milligram supplements of fish oil for 16 weeks, while others received an inactive placebo.
The results showed that the children taking daily supplements of omega-3s had nearly one hour more sleep and seven fewer waking episodes per night, compared with the children taking the corn or soybean placebo.
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