Gut and sleep: The connection between your guts and a good night sleep

By Bio Island Nutrition Team

Getting a good night’s sleep is a top priority for so many of us. A poor night’s sleep can negatively affect us in so many ways including our mood, energy levels, and even our appetite. There is so much advice out there around how to help your body get to sleep and stay asleep including good sleep hygiene practices, music and meditations, mattresses and pillows, and controlling the temperature of your home, but did you know recent research has found that our gut microbiome may influence the quantity and quality of our sleep as well?  

What is the gut microbiome?

The human body is home to trillions of cells including bacteria, viruses, and fungi that are present from birth and vital for normal health. The biggest population of microbes is present inside the gastrointestinal tract with each person having their own individual mix of species that is estimated to weigh around 1.8kg. Our intestinal microbiome plays an important role in maintaining physical and mental health but recently there has been some interesting discoveries made about the relationship between sleep and gut health.

Sleep and our microbiome

It appears that the relationship between sleep and our microbiome is dependent on one another, our microbiome can have an effect on how we sleep, but our circadian rhythms can also affect the health and diversity of our microbiome. A 2016 study by a group of Swedish and German scientists found that after only two nights of partial sleep deprivation, participants had a significant decrease in beneficial bacteria, decreased insulin sensitivity, and changes in their microbiome that are specifically linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Although the study was conducted on only 9 subjects, the results suggest that our microbiome may be much more sensitive to our sleep cycles than we ever realised.

The microbiota-gut-brain axis

The microbiota gut-brain axis refers to the connection that our intestinal metabolism has with our brain function, which is facilitated through the circulatory system and the vagus nerve. Animal studies have shown that diet can affect the microbiome, causing the microbes to produce many gut metabolites, which then affects cognitive function and circadian rhythms.  In the study, microbiota-depleted mice were found to switch more frequently between sleep and wake stages than the control mice.

Supporting your microbiome for a good night’s sleep

Foods like vegetables, eggs, seeds, nuts, and seafood help to feed good gut bacteria and it is important to try and avoid foods like sweetened beverages, white bread and refined grains. If you really want to help support your microbiome it’s also a good idea to start introducing fermented foods into your diet such as yoghurt, sauerkraut, and miso. What is most important is that you are consuming a diverse wholefood diet the majority of the time and limiting foods high in sugar, salt and saturated and trans saturated fats.

This information does not take into account your personal situation and is general in nature. You should consider whether the information is appropriate for your needs and seek professional medical advice.

Always consult your healthcare professional before taking any supplements or if any concerns arise.