Secret to getting children to sleep? Feed them more fish

CHILDREN who eat fish once a week sleep better and have higher IQ scores, a study suggests.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania said parents should consider changing youngsters’ diets rather than imploring them to go to bed.

Previous studies have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can improve intelligence and sleep, and that better sleep improves IQ. But this is the first time all three have been linked together.

The scientists believe the improved sleep produced by omega-3s may be what is boosting IQ, rather than the fatty acids themselves.

Prof Adrian Raine said: “If the fish improves sleep, great. If it also improves cognitive performance, like we’ve seen here, even better.”

For the study, the researchers asked 541 children aged between nine and 11 how much fish they ate, and measured their IQ. Their parents were then asked about the quality of sleep.

Children who reported eating fish weekly scored 4.8 points higher on the IQ exams than those who said they seldom or never consumed fish. Those whose meals sometimes included fish scored 3.3 points higher.

Dr Jennifer Pinto-martin said: “It adds to the growing body of evidence showing that fish consumption has positive health benefits and should be more heavily advertised and promoted.

The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports.