If you’re struggling to fall or stay asleep at night, there are a number of factors that might be at play, from the caffeine in your evening tea or spillover w.saatva.com/blog/ways-to-relieve-stress-for-better-sleep/>stress and anxiety to something you might have yet to consider: poor gut health.
The connection between gut health and sleep
A recent study published in PLoS One found that a healthy gut is associated with better and longer sleep, potentially thanks to communication between your gut bacteria and your brain.
For the study, 26 men provided a fecal sample to characterize their gut microbiome and wore a high-tech watch for 30 days to track numerous sleep metrics including their bedtime, wake-up time, time in bed, total sleep time, how long it took them to fall asleep, and how well they slept throughout the night.
The results revealed that men with diverse microbiomes slept better and longer with fewer wake-ups than those who had less diverse microbiomes. In short, a diverse microbiome seemed to promote healthier sleep.
But what do we actually know about the relationship between gut health and sleep, and how you can support your gut bacteria for high-quality shuteye? Here, a look at the science.
This study is just one example of the nascent field of research looking at the GI tract’s “gut microbiome,” a collection of approximately 100 trillion microorganisms that send messages from your gut to your brain all day long in order to keep your body functioning optimally.
This communication-often referred to as the gut-brain axis-influences mood, emotions, and, according to the most recent research, sleep.
But the relationship between a healthy gut and good sleep goes both ways. When lifestyle factors such as poor sleep and stress disrupt your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock), your microbiome might not be as diverse. A diverse microbiome seems to be associated with better sleep habits, and better sleep habits can also help create a more versatile gut microbiome, explains Marvin Singh, MD, integrative gastroenterologist and founder of the Precisione Clinic in Encinitas, Calif.
Related: Are your sleep habits wrecking your metabolism?
Can you improve your gut health for better sleep?
In short, kind of. Research suggests that the greater gut diversity the better, but because your gut bacteria profile is so individualized and ever-changing based on a number of factors, no one is ready to say you can just pop a probiotic supplement (full of “good” gut bacteria) for better sleep.
However, what you eat-and don’t eat-may help boost the diversity of your gut microbiome and, in turn, your overall health and sleep quality. Scientists are just beginning to understand this, but here’s some of what we already know:
