Does dietary intake of omega-3 DHA influence children’s sleep?

Sleep problems affecting 40% of UK schoolchildren aged 7–9 years were reported in a recent University of Oxford study and lower blood concentrations of omega-3 DHA predicted more serious sleep problems in these otherwise healthy, normal children. In a randomised controlled trial, dietary supplementation with omega-3 DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) for 16 weeks improved parent-rated sleep in children with such problems. Furthermore, objectively measured sleep duration was increased by almost one hour by DHA vs placebo.