If you’ve been following us for some time, you’d know that we love to go on and on about how your gut health determines your TOTAL health. If your gut has been out of whack for a while, you’re more than likely experiencing not only digestion issues - but also fatigue, brain fog, mood issues, weight issues, lowered immunity, as well as….poor, restless sleep.
That’s right - your gut bacteria may be keeping you up at night! Did you know that your gut bacteria plays a central role in your ability to drift off to sleep each night?
Let’s break it down:
Gut bacteria <-———-> Sleep-wake cycle
Your gut bacteria play a major role in the creation of key brain chemical messengers (serotonin and melatonin) that affect your sleep-wake cycle. Without a diverse gut microbiome, you may not be getting the ideal amount of these chemical messengers that you need. This can mess with your sleep patterns - like finding it difficult to feel sleepy when it’s time to hit the bed or experiencing restless sleep.
Since the gut bacteria - sleep cycle relationship is bidirectional, individuals who do not get restful sleep also have an altered gut microbiome. So, when you aren’t sleeping well, your gut is directly affected. And that can lead to even worse sleep, compounding a problem you’re already facing.
Bad news bonus: Specific gut bacteria become more active when we’re on less sleep. The strains in question are known to promote increased absorption of calories and energy uptake from foods. Whilst this may be helpful in dealing with the energy deficit caused by poor sleep, it can also cause unwanted weight gain.
So what’s the solution? Aiming for gut bacteria diversity!
This can be done through:
⁃ a diet rich in prebiotics aka fibre (we’re talking fruits, vegetables, pulses, legumes & whole grains)
⁃ A diet rich in natural probiotics (water kefir, kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, live probiotic yogurt)
⁃ Lifestyle changes like getting in some exercise during the day, not smoking, adequately managing your stress levels, and exposing yourself to as many natural environments as possible)
So nourish that gut microbiome, get those brain chemicals flowing, and get a good night’s rest (finally)!