Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Improve Sleep

Good sleep is one of the foundations of optimal health.

Studies tie sleep deprivation to many diseases, including obesity, diabetes and depression.

Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with sleep problems in children and obstructive sleep apnea in adults.

Low levels of DHA are also linked to lower levels of the hormone melatonin, which helps you fall asleep.

Studies in both children and adults reveal that supplementing with omega-3 increases the length and quality of sleep

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Omega-3 Fats Are Good For Your Skin

DHA is a structural component of your skin. It is responsible for the health of cell membranes, which make up a large part of your skin.

A healthy cell membrane results in soft, moist, supple and wrinkle-free skin.

EPA also benefits your skin in several ways, including:

  • Managing oil production and hydration of your skin.
  • Preventing hyperkeratinization of hair follicles, which appears as the little red bumps often seen on upper arms.
  • Reducing premature aging of your skin.
  • Reducing the risk of acne.

Omega-3s can also protect your skin from sun damage. EPA helps block the release of substances that eat away at the collagen in your skin after sun exposure.

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Omega-3s Can Promote Brain Health During Pregnancy and Early Life

Omega-3s are crucial for brain growth and development in infants.

DHA accounts for 40% of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in your brain and 60% in the retina of your eye.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that infants fed a DHA-fortified formula have better eyesight than infants fed a formula without it.

Getting enough omega-3s during pregnancy is associated with numerous benefits for your child, including

  • Higher intelligence
  • Better communication and social skills
  • Fewer behavioral problems
  • Decreased risk of developmental delay
  • Decreased risk of ADHD, autism and cerebral palsy

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Children solved tasks better with more omega-3

“We see a clear connection between mother’s omega-3 status and the children’s ability to solve problems, and we see the same effect at the children’s level of the fatty acid when they are three months,” says researcher Maria Wik Markhus.

In a study in 32 pregnant women, the researchers measured the level of omega-3 fatty acid DHA in the blood of gestational week 28. Then they looked at the children’s ability to solve one-year tasks, using a test that their parents filled out. The higher the level of the DHA mothers, the higher the children cut the test.

In addition, the researchers measured the children’s level of DHA when they were three, six and twelve months old. Although the study is small in scale, it gives important results.

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