Key Takeaways
- The gut-brain axis is the communication system between our digestive and nervous systems.
- Better sleep leads to better digestion and less inflammation via the gut-brain axis.
- Incorporate one of these tips at a time, such as adding a single food to your diet or aiming for a stricter bedtime, to reduce overwhelm.
Our quality of sleep affects everything from our ability to fight off disease to how easily we process information. But did you know that sleep also affects our gut health?
The Role of Sleep on the Gut-Brain Axis
It might seem surprising, but how much and how well you sleep directly affects your gut health. Not sleeping enough directly worsens your digestive system, while sufficient quality sleep can help keep it in better working order. “Sleep deprivation leads to dysfunction of gut microbiota, and sleep disorders are accompanied by altered gut microbiota composition,” says Dr. Fouzia Siddiqui, neurologist and medical director of the Sleep Center at Sentara Health.
All parts of our body need rest, and our digestive system is no exception. “The gut-brain axis is now known to be so important in keeping the body in good shape, and it is fascinating to realize that even the microbiome needs a rest period,” Dr. Charles Akle, chief medical officer of immy, tells us. He adds that “sleep is a vital component of ‘resetting’ and repairing almost all metabolic processes in the body.”
“The easiest example of poor sleep and its effects is jet lag, and I am sure most of us will have experienced it,” Akle notes. “Sleeping badly will mean poor digestion and poor brain function.”
How Disrupted Sleep Impacts Digestion and Inflammation
Our gut is where the bulk of our microbiome, or the microorganisms we house inside, lives, which plays a massive role in our wellness. “These organisms are also affected by the need for rest and recuperation, manifested during the sleep cycle,” says Akle.
- When we don’t get good rest, our diet can suffer. “Lack of sleep can affect dietary choices,” and “poor food choices can negatively impact gut health and overall health,” says Siddiqui.
- Not sleeping enough can lead to poor digestion through reflux. Siddiqui tells us that “lack of the sleep hormone, melatonin, may be related to GERD.” She adds that “melatonin also helps regulate gastrointestinal mobility.”
- Lack of sleep can send out an inflammatory response in your body. “Sleep deprivation disrupts the natural, healthy balance of immune cells, causing them to become overactive and trigger inflammatory responses,” explains Siddiqui. From there, she says that “this can lead to long-lasting genetic changes in immune stem cells, increasing the risk for chronic inflammatory disorders and cardiovascular disease.”
Going back to our jet lag example, the icky feelings of traversing time zones and sleeping worse when we do can have lasting negative effects on our health. “It is why jet lag often goes hand in hand with an increased risk of viral infections after a long journey,” warns Akle. Getting rest was always the go-to for illness, and that shouldn’t have changed.
Gut Bacteria Vs. Sleep Hormones
Melatonin is our big-deal sleep hormone, and—no surprise—if we don’t make enough of it, it’s less likely for our gut bacteria to thrive. According to Siddiqui, the gut is “a major site of melatonin synthesis, with some studies finding melatonin levels at least 400 times greater than in the pineal gland (another site of melatonin production).”
“The gut microbiome can also influence the activity of the enzymes responsible for melatonin synthesis,” says Siddiqui. It works the other way around, too. “An imbalance or disruption in the gut microbiome, known as dysbiosis, can impair the body’s ability to produce melatonin, contributing to sleep disturbances,” she explains.
The gut-brain axis is now known to be so important in keeping the body in good shape, and it is fascinating to realize that even the microbiome needs a rest period.
Tryptophan is another important hormone here because it is a precursor to melatonin. It also can be converted to serotonin, which we need to feel emotionally sound. Akle tells us that “tryptophan is also a precursor of serotonin (the happy molecule) and part of the key tryptophan/kynurenine cycle which feeds several critical neurological pathways.” And we can’t convert tryptophan to melatonin outside of our guts.
Siddiqui notes, “One of the key ways in which the gut microbiome influences melatonin production is through the synthesis of tryptophan, an essential amino acid that serves as a precursor for melatonin.”
What this basically means is that to have a good microbiome you need to sleep well, and in order to sleep well you also need to have a good microbiome. So, how can you get there?
Tips for Gut and Sleep Hygiene
Whether you’ve been suffering from poor sleep, inflammation, poor digestion, or all three, improving your sleep and gut hygiene can help turn things around for you. Here are our top tips.
Be Consistent
Keeping a regular schedule for sleep and eating is the quickest way to ensure a better night’s rest. “Aim for seven to nine hours nightly,” recommends Siddiqui. Try not to eat dinner too close to bedtime or indulge in late-night snacks. Avoid heavy meals late at night,” suggests Akle. He says, “This especially applies to fatty meat intake because it takes longer to digest and uses more energy that could be needed elsewhere.”
Eat a Varied Diet
There are countless reasons for adding variety to your diet, as we know it can lead to a more diverse microbiome. It can also lead to better sleep in turn. Akle suggests. “It should be rich in seasonal fruit and vegetables and fermented foods. Avoid ‘junk’ food and other ultraprocessed material.” And of course, “go easy on the alcohol.”
Siddiqui recommends “fruit, [vegetables], whole grains, nuts and seeds, beans, and herbs and spices” and warns against caffeine after 2 p.m.
Set the Bedroom Scene
Prepping your bedroom to be as conducive to sleep as possible should help you drift off more easily. Siddiqui says to “make your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet” and to “avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime to reduce blue light exposure, which suppresses melatonin production.”
You’ll also want to head to bed in as de-stressed a state as possible. “Stress can keep you awake and impact gut health via the gut-brain axis,” says Siddiqui. She suggests we “incorporate mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, or ‘worry time’ before bed to offload anxieties.”
It can take some practice, but the good news is that with some intentional changes, you can improve your sleep while helping your gut-brain axis work more efficiently.
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