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In a randomized clinical trial by researchers of the University of Oxford, the effects of DHA supplementation on the sleep quality of children aged 7-9 were examined (Montgomery et al., 2014). Children received either algal-oil derived DHA or a placebo for a period of 16 weeks, during which subjective sleep quality was monitored via a questionnaire. Blood circulating levels of omega-3 fatty acids were also measured. It was found that lower levels of circulating DHA were associated with poorer total sleep disturbance scores in the questionnaire. In a subset of the children where sleep quality was assessed by means of actigraphy (measuring activity levels and sleep-wake patterns), DHA supplementation was found to be associated with fewer wake episodes and almost an hour more sleep per night. The authors concluded that DHA may have a positive effect on child sleep quality.
Click on the file to download the publication by Montgomery and colleagues Reference Montgomery, P., Burton, J. R., Sewell, R. P., Spreckelsen, T. F., & Richardson, A. J. (2014). 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, 23(4), 364–388. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12135 |
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| Montgomery et al., (2014): Fatty acids and sleep in UK children: subjective and pilot objective sleep results from the DOLAB study |
