Sleep is very important for health. In children, sleep problems are linked to poor health, behavioral and cognitive problems. What role does omega-3 fat or DHA in particular play in regulating sleep? Find out with AN Care Pharma through the article below!
1. The benefits of Sleep for children’s development
Sleep is especially important for children for both mental and physical development. Sleep is a time for a child’s body to recover and recharge, as well as to retain the information he has learned throughout the day. During sleep, the body’s energy is restored, growth and repair takes place, and important brain development hormones are released.
Inadequate sleep, poor sleep quality, and irregular sleep schedules can affect a child’s physical health, cognitive abilities, social-emotional processes, and behavioral functioning, and affect development and health of children.
Sleep deprivation weakens a child’s immune system, negatively affects mood and behavior, and can interfere with a child’s performance in school.
There is a growing body of evidence linking poor sleep with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as other behavioral and learning difficulties in children.

Good sleep is important for a healthy lifestyle, which is essential for a child’s overall health, cognitive and emotional functioning.
However, studies conducted in Western countries show that sleep deprivation is common in children, up to one-third to one-third of children have sleep problems.
In Vietnam, there are not many studies on children’s sleep. However, many parents are aware of the importance of children’s sleep, and are looking for ways to support their children to have a good night’s sleep.
2. DHA and sleep
Theoretically, the adequate intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the diet is fundamental to health, well-being and cognitive performance in both children and adults because they and their derivatives are necessary for the proper structure and function of most cells, brains, and systems in the body.
The importance of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) for the initiation and maintenance of sleep has long been known. For example, arachidonic acid (AA) is needed as a precursor to the sleep-promoting prostaglandin D2, and DHA is also essential for sleep regulation.
Evidence suggests that the balance of DHA and AA in the pineal gland regulates melatonin production, with higher DHA levels associated with increased melatonin levels. In basic processes, DHA appears to be needed for one of the enzymes that convert serotonin into melatonin.
Consistent with these mechanisms, epidemiological studies suggest that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with fewer sleep problems in infants, adults, and children with ADHD. DHA has also been linked to less severe sleep apnea.
Trials between clinical populations suggest that LC-PUFA supplementation can improve sleep. Treatments that include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids along with other nutrients have improved sleep quality and reduced sleep disturbances in children with behavioral problems.
From trials using only fatty acids, it appears that omega-3 fatty acids may be more effective for sleep problems. A recent randomized controlled study of insomnia patients found little or no benefit from omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) supplementation. In contrast, a trial in pregnant women showed improved sleep in babies born after DHA supplementation.

A team of scientists in the UK conducted a large-scale study, examining the relationship between fatty acid levels in the blood (from a blood sample taken from a fingertip) and subjective sleep (using age-standardized parental questionnaires) in a large epidemiological sample of healthy children aged 7–9 years (n = 395) from mainstream UK schools.
This study was to evaluate whether supplementation with 600mg DHA from algae for 16 weeks compared with placebo could improve sleep in a group of children (n = 362) with poor reading performance. In a randomly selected subsample (n = 43), sleep was also objectively assessed through handwriting.
Research results have shown that:
- Forty percent of the children in the study had clinical-grade sleep problems. This is consistent with findings for children in general in the United States and Europe.
- Higher blood DHA status was significantly associated with better sleep.
- The results of the pilot calligraphic subsample showed significant differences between groups in children’s sleep after a 16-week course of 600 mg DHA/day. Sleep duration improved by 58 minutes in the intensively treated children compared with placebo, with fewer and shorter nighttime awakenings and correspondingly improved sleep efficiency.
- There was no significant effect of apparent addition on subjective sleep measures for the entire sample. However, in a subgroup with clinical sleep problems, treatment with DHA improved the total sleep disturbance score.
Details of the study can be found at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4263155/
Thus, the role of Omega-3 or DHA cannot be denied in the sleep of children, as well as adults.
For those who are looking for DHA supplements for children, or Omega-3 for adults, the following 2 products are the right choice.
- Euronatural DHA Drops provides DHA derived from natural microalgae, completely non-fishy, helping to support brain development, increase nerve conduction, retina, for a sharp brain – healthy eyes. It also helps your baby to have a deeper and better sleep. This product is suitable for babies from birth.
- Omega-3 1000mg is imported genuine from Europe, with superior DHA and EPA content, has many health protection benefits such as: Strengthen and protect the function of nerve cells, improve memory; Support deep sleep and eat well; Prevent and support to improve problems of heart, blood fat, blood pressure,… Prevent macular degeneration, enhance vision; Improve musculoskeletal function, reduce joint inflammation; Protect skin from harmful UV rays; Improve autoimmune diseases, anti-inflammatory; Reduce the risk of certain cancers…
References:
- Schlieber M, Han J. The Role of Sleep in Young Children’s Development: A Review. J Genet Psychol. 2021 Jul-Aug;182(4):205-217. doi: 10.1080/00221325.2021.1908218. Epub 2021 Apr 7. PMID: 33825621.
- Montgomery P, Burton JR, Sewell RP, Spreckelsen TF, Richardson AJ. Fatty acids and sleep in UK children: subjective and pilot objective sleep results from the DOLAB study–a randomized controlled trial. J Sleep Res. 2014 Aug;23(4):364-88. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12135. Epub 2014 Mar 8. PMID: 24605819; PMCID: PMC4263155.
Article source: Nutrition Research and Development Institute (https://inrd.vn/)
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