Chances are you've heard about omega-3 and know that it's supposed to be good for you, but what is it? How does it work and what can it do? Specifically, how can it help with your sleep?
Let's dive right in and answer all your questions...
Introduction to Omega 3
So, what are omega-3 fatty acids? Fats often get a bad rap, but they’re more than just a source of calories. Your fatty acid status and a healthy intake is crucial for the maintenance and working of your body - the body needs to stay ‘well oiled’, as it were.
Omega-3 fatty acids fall into this category. A part of fish oil, they are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids that play a crucial role in numerous functions and roles within the body, including brain function and heart health. And have a knock-on effect to many more, including sleep.
Three Types of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
There are three types of omega-3 fatty acids:
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Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), found in some seeds and nuts.
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Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), found mainly in fatty fish such as wild-caught salmon and tuna, and seafood.
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Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), also found in fatty fish and seafood.
The body can partially convert ALA to EPA or DHA, and most research has focused on the latter two. Animal studies have provided important insights into the physiological effects of these omega-3 fatty acids, and we'll come on to talk about them shortly.
Sources of Omega-3 and Recommended Dosage
You’ll find omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish such as trout, sardines, wild-caught salmon, tuna, mackerel, and anchovies. Or in nuts and seeds, such as flaxseed, walnuts, soya beans, rapeseed, chia seeds and oils made from those ingredients.
The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) recommends adults eat two servings of fish rich in omega-3 a week. A typical serving size is approximately the size of a deck of cards or 4 ounces (113g). (1)
Of course, if you don’t like, can’t afford or don’t have access to fresh or frozen fish, it can be more troublesome to source omega-3 from food. Which is why omega-3 dietary supplements are an important alternative option.
You can find omega-3 in fish oil supplementation or in standalone supplements. We recommend Performance Lab Omega-3. (2, 3)
How Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Improve Sleep Quality?
Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids may help to improve sleep quality in several different ways, potentially even helping to tackle sleep disorders. Poor sleep no longer has to plague you!
Previous research has established a significant link between omega-3 levels and sleep quality in various populations, including pregnant women, children and adults.
Let's take a look at what some of the research into this subject can tell us...
The Research
Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation has been shown to improve sleep quality in many studies.
SLEEP QUALITY: In a 2023 systematic review of 19 clinical trials examining the impact of omega-3 on sleep quality, 74% of trials concluded that omega-3 helped to improve sleep quality. (4)
SLEEP EFFICIENCY: It has been shown to particularly help with sleep efficiency - the actual time spent asleep while in bed. (You can calculate this by dividing the time spent asleep in minutes by the total time spent in bed (again in minutes). (5)
Researchers theorise this is because omega-3 may actually help reduce the amount of time spent awake - in other words, it helped to stop people waking up so much in the night, reducing total sleep disturbance. Helping them to sleep for longer and have fewer sleep problems. (6)
SUBJECTIVE SLEEP: Which likely contributed to the feeling of better sleep - studies show omega-3 supplementation also improved subjectively assessed sleep, or how the participants rated their own sleep quality.
SLEEP LATENCY: In other studies, it also improved sleep latency - the time it takes to fall asleep. (7)
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA: Omega-3 intake is also being investigated for its potential role in helping obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), known to be linked with inflammation. As we'll see shortly, omega-3 is believed to help reduce inflammation which is theorised could help OSA. (8)
Clinical studies therefore have reported positive effects of omega-3 on both objective and subjective sleep outcomes.
A Quick Word about Omega-3 and Children's Sleep
While this article focuses on adults, studies also suggest that omega-3 may improve sleep quality in children too.
Research has shown that omega-3 intake is linked to improved sleep duration and quality in children. Higher DHA levels were associated with less bedtime resistance, as measured by parental reports, meaning children experience fewer difficulties settling at night. (9)
Sleep research suggests that healthy children who consume omega 3-rich foods tend to have better sleep pattern and less sleep problems.
One 2014 study evaluating objective sleep results showed that it gave them an additional hour’s sleep a night. Another study linked omega-3 intake with improved sleep and higher IQ scores. (10)
Studies also suggest that omega-3 may be useful for children with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), more on that later.
Omega-3's Benefits for Sleep in a Nutshell...
So in conclusion, omega-3 fatty acids may help with:
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Sleep latency - how fast you can fall asleep
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Sleep efficiency - time actually asleep while in bed
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Reduced sleep interruptions and wakening
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Subjective sleep - how well you perceive that you’ve slept.
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Children’s sleep, including improved sleep duration and less bedtime resistance.
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Obstructive sleep apnea, though further research is warranted on this.
How might omega-3 achieve all this? Let’s take a look…
Omega-3s May Help Reduce Stress During Sleep
A systematic review of several clinical trials examining omega-3 fatty acids concluded that they help to regulate the nervous system. Particularly helping to balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. (11)
Don't panic if you don't know the difference - allow me to explain it to you.
SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM: The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your 'fight or flight' mechanism; it's designed to put you on alert when needed. Helping you to survive dangerous situations.
Of course, too much of this 'high alert' isn't good for the body, which is where the opposite but complementary parasympathetic nervous system comes in.
PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM: The parasympathetic nervous system helps you to relax and rest, reducing your body's activities such as lowering blood pressure and returning them to the status quo or standard activity. Because the two systems offset each other, the body remains in balance. (12)
So how does omega-3 influence this delicate balance? As I said earlier, research has shown that omega-3 helps to regulate the balance between the two systems, shown in several studies.
One study linking sleep and daily function to fish consumption measured heart rate variability (HRV) - the difference in time between consecutive heartbeats. We're talking fractions of a second in sinus rhythm here. (13)
Variability is normal depending on what you're doing, but in sleep it can also indicate the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The study concluded that taking omega-3 increased High Frequency (HF) power in heart rate variability during sleep.
All you need to know about this is that HF is an indicator of parasympathetic activity, showing that omega-3 helps to increase parasympathetic activity - helping you to relax and de-stress - during sleep. (14, 15)
May Help to Regulate Melatonin Production
Another way that omega-3 may help sleep is by influencing melatonin production. Melatonin is colloquially known as the ‘sleep hormone’.
It’s produced by the brain’s pineal gland when it starts getting dark, and it’s a chemical signal to your body that it’s time to slow down and get ready for sleep. Anything that interrupts this melatonin production may interfere with sleep patterns.
The DHA found in omega-3 fatty acids makes up a large part of the fatty acids found in the pineal gland, and for this reason, scientists theorise that melatonin may be synergistically regulated by omega-3.
Meaning you need to take enough omega-3 to keep melatonin production on track, and that a lack of it may cause poor sleep or even cause sleep disturbances.
The Delicate Balance Between Omega-3 and Omega-6
Additionally, the balance between omega-3 and omega-6 (arachidonic acid) is important for regulating sleep quality and neurological function, as an imbalance may contribute to sleep disturbances.
Omega-6 competes with ALA, our other fatty acid, hindering its conversion to the more useful DHA and EPA. A change in our diets over the past century has resulted in more omega-6 consumption, meaning we may need more omega-3 to compensate. (16, 17)
Helps Tackle Inflammation
Inflammation is a natural bodily reaction to damage and injury, but in some cases, it can last for a long time or exist without injury. This is known as chronic inflammation and it can contribute to various diseases and conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and many more. It also often leads to poor sleep quality.
Chronic inflammation is also associated with psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety. Research suggests that long chain fatty acids such as DHA and EPA found in omega-3 supplementation may help improve symptoms in these conditions. (More on that shortly)
Omega-3 has been shown to reduce inflammatory molecules and cytokines, reducing inflammation. (18)
Omega-3 fatty acids may also help with autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis.
A 2022 meta-review of 30 studies showed that following a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), in particular omega-3s, helped to improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Providing beneficial effects for tender, swollen and painful joints. It concluded it may be an addition to traditional drug therapy for the condition.
Given that pain and discomfort from autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease can interrupt sleep, this is a potential bonus for improved sleep quality. Further studies are welcome. (19)
Other Health Benefits of Omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to numerous roles in the body, and numerous potential health benefits. They include:
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Cardiovascular and heart health benefits - studies show omega-3 may help to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Omega-3s, particularly DHA, have also been shown to help lower blood pressure, which can further contribute to a lower risk of heart disease and hypertension.
A 2020 systematic review of 86 studies and more than 150,000 people concluded that increasing DHA and EPA levels slightly helped to reduce the risk of coronary events and death from coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease. The majority of these clinical trials (65 of them) used omega-3 supplement capsules. (20)
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Cognitive decline and cognitive performance - a higher omega-3 intake has been shown in studies to potentially help fight age-related cognitive decline and help brain function. Some researchers have gone as far as to suggest it may be used as a therapeutic tool for cognitive decline in older adults. (21)
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Alzheimer’s disease - while stopping short of recommending omega-3 for therapeutic treatment of people with Alzheimer’s disease, a systematic review or meta study suggests it may be useful for people with mild Alzheimer’s at the disease onset. Further research is recommended into omega-3 fatty acids and brain health. (22)
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Bone and joint health - Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids may help to improve bone quality, likely by reducing bone decay and supporting bone mineralization. (23)
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Anxiety and depression - Some studies have shown that omega-3 may have the potential to help with depression and anxiety, although results are mixed. Some studies have shown a significant impact and reduction in depressive symptoms while others have shown minimal impact or less.
This is likely because every person’s depression and symptoms are different, as is their baseline nutritional status, physiology and more. As one meta-analysis concluded, omega-3 has a positive safety profile so could be safely given to anxious or depressed patients anyway in addition to other medications or therapies. (24)
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Aging - It seems hard to believe, I know, but a study published in Nature Aging on healthy subjects suggests you can avoid premature aging and maybe even potentially slow normal biological aging by up to three years by taking omega-3. A combination of omega-3, vitamin D and exercise may help even more. (25)
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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - Many theories have been examined to explain ADHD, a common childhood disorder (around 5-10% of children are diagnosed). One theory is that it may be caused by a lack of essential fatty acids, particularly DHA and EPA from omega-3. Some studies have backed this up, showing a link between the severity of an EPA deficiency and ADHD symptoms. Clinical trials have also shown promise for the treatment of ADHD symptoms with omega-3. (26)
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Learning difficulties such as dyslexia. Again, experts suggest there is a fairly significant link between low levels of EFAs and developmental disorders such as dyslexia and autism. More research needs to be done to establish whether omega-3 supplementation may potentially help these people. (27)
These are just some of the potential health benefits of omega-3 over and above sleep quality, inflammation and stress.
Best Omega 3 Sleep Aid
Performance Lab Omega-3 is primarily comprised of DHA and EPA, the two most useful fatty acids. It's a super green formula that sources its omega-3 from algae, the original source from which most fish gain their omega-3.
What does that mean for us? It means no 'middle fish' - and no fishy taste or smell. Success! It also means that it is vegetarian and vegan-approved by the Vegetarian Society.
Tips for Better Sleep Health
If you’re reading this article because you’re having trouble sleeping - going to sleep, staying asleep, or any other issues - you may appreciate a few general tips for better sleep health. Addressing sleep issues is important to prevent sleep deprivation.
We'd recommend...
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Getting regular exercise during the day and eating a balanced diet with a wide range of nutrients
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Practicing techniques to reduce stress, such as meditation before bed
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Creating a relaxing routine before bed that lets your body and brain wind down and prepare for sleep. It could be an hour of quiet time, reading a book, having a bath, meditating, or more.
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Avoiding blue light from telephones, laptops and other electronic devices at least an hour before bed.
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Avoiding caffeine at least six hours before sleep, and alcohol for three hours. (27)
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Taking a dedicated dietary supplement for sleep. Perhaps either an omega-3 supplement or a natural sleep supplement that includes proven ingredients to aid sleep. Such as...
Performance Lab Sleep: Best Natural Sleep Aid
If you're looking for a natural sleep aid to improve poor sleep quality, we have another suggestion - Performance Lab Sleep. Featuring dedicated ingredients selected for their potential ability to help you get more Zzzs, it's a great modern sleep stack.
It includes Montmorency tart cherries for a low dose of natural melatonin, plus tryptophan, a precursor of serotonin and melatonin. The tryptophan is then available for your body to make into its own melatonin to make you feel sleepier and serotonin to boost your mood.
The supplement is rounded out with magnesium to prevent cramps in the night and to relax muscles, and lemon balm to soothe and de-stress you ahead of sleep.
Final Thoughts
There's no denying that omega-3 fatty acids play a significant role throughout the whole body. From influencing cognition and mental health to supporting your heart and other crucial bodily functions, you need to make sure you're getting enough of this super important nutrient.
As a consequence of its potential ability to help you de-stress, regulate melatonin production and reduce inflammation, it may also help to boost your sleep quality and sleep health.
If you're like me and find it difficult to consume enough omega-3 in your diet (I hate the taste of fish!), you may want to opt for dietary supplementation.
I highly recommend Performance Lab Omega-3 for a quality non-fishy omega-3 supplement - one that even I can take without grimacing! Or, if you'd prefer to focus on a dedicated sleep supplement, Performance Lab Sleep is an ideal choice.
