Wellness Wednesday

Nothing Is Fishy About Getting To Get Your Kids To Sleep By Increasing Fish Meal Intake

New research from the University of Pennslyvania has found that increasing fish in children's diet improves IQ and sleep habits.

Parents are always trying to do the best for their kids, whether it be getting them into the best schools, getting them ahead in sports with personal training lessons, or getting them to eat right. New research from the University of Pennsylvania has found that children who eat fish at least once a week sleep better and have an IQ that is an average of 4 points higher in comparison to those who eat fish less than once a week. The study was based on previous research that showed a relationship between omega-3's and increased intelligence and sleep, but never connected as a whole. Looking to unite the ideas of these two different studies, a cohort of 541 9-11 year-olds were given a questionnaire to complete that asked how often they consumed fish in the past week and then given an IQ test. The parents were then asked how much sleep the children received at home, along with how often the children awoke during the night. The researchers, after gathering all information, concluded that children who ate fish at least once a week scored 4.8 points higher on the IQ test, those who ate fish on occasion scored 3.3 points higher and all those who ate fish reported a better quality of sleep. While more research is warranted, increasing fish in a child's diet may be an easier way to get your kid to bed.