ONE FOOD HELPS US HAVE BETTER SLEEP

Regular consumption of fish helps people fall asleep and also increases IQ, according to a study published by the University of Pennsylvania.

PHOTO: Pixabay

The focus is on fish, and researchers discovered that children who eat fish at least once a week fall asleep more easily and have an IQ nearly five points higher

Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which carry numerous health benefits. "Neurons need omega-3 fatty acids for the proper structure and function of the cell membrane," explained neurologist Don Von, emphasizing the importance of a diet rich in fish.

While previous studies have shown a link between omega-3 consumption and improved intelligence, none had established a connection between improved sleep, intelligence, and fish consumption.

The study involved 541 children in China, almost evenly split between boys and girls.

Researchers tracked how much fish the children ate along with their performance on verbal and non-verbal skill tests such as vocabulary and coding, while parents recorded how much sleep the children got.

Once all the data was collected and analyzed, the researchers found that children who ate fish at least once a week scored 4.8 points higher on intelligence tests than those who ate fish "rarely" or "never." Those who regularly ate fish also slept better.

"Sleep is essential for brain health and function. The brain consolidates important memories, forgets useless information, and continues practicing skills learned during the day," said Dr. Von.

The research team also noted that poor sleep is often accompanied by antisocial behavior, poor cognition, and a range of other problems—all of which could potentially be reduced by increasing the amount of fish or omega-3 fatty acids in the diet

"It’s clear that omega-3 fatty acids affect brain structure and performance. We don’t know the exact amount needed, but it’s certainly possible that increasing omega-3 intake could lead to small improvements in cognition, with better sleep being a contributing factor," concluded Dr. Von.