Insomnia and Gut Health: How Your Microbiome Controls Your Sleep

They say you should always trust your gut feeling, and in this case, your gut is quite literally telling you something important! Your gut can affect your mood, energy, immune system, and even your sleep.

It’s like your body’s hidden control centre, constantly working to keep you balanced and healthy. When any of these functions are interrupted, it can throw off your well-being, affecting not just your physical health but also your mental health, emotional stability, and your cognitive abilities.

By taking care of your gut, you essentially support your body’s ability to function at its best, which leads to long-term health and vitality.

The Gut-Brain-Sleep Connection

The gut-brain axis is a powerful two-way connection between your gut and your brain. Your gut bacteria influence neurotransmitters and hormones, which are important factors for good-quality sleep.

At the core of this gut-brain relationship is your microbiome, a vast ecosystem of trillions of bacteria and other microbes that regulate nearly every aspect of your body. When your gut microbiome is out of balance, it can disrupt your sleep cycle, leaving you feeling restless and exhausted.

What makes this even more challenging is the vicious cycle it creates. Poor gut health can lead to sleep problems and, in turn, a lack of sleep further weakens your gut, making it harder for your body to restore balance and function normally.

How Your Microbiome Affects Sleep

1. Serotonin and Melatonin Production

You might know that serotonin regulates mood, but did you know your gut produces nearly 90% of the serotonin in your body? Serotonin is essential for melatonin production, which is the hormone that regulates your body’s internal clock.

Simply put, poor gut health results in low serotonin levels, which in turn lead to reduced melatonin production. This ultimately disrupts your sleep-wake cycle and causes sleep disturbances.

2. Blood Sugar and Sleep Disruptions

Your gut microbiome helps regulate blood sugar levels. When it gets out of balance, sudden drops in blood sugar can cause a spike in cortisol, the stress hormone, leading to disturbed sleep. Diets high in processed foods and sugar can further disturb your gut bacteria. This disruption can lead to unexpected blood sugar crashes that disrupt restful sleep.

3. Circadian Rhythm and Gut Health

Just like you, even your gut bacteria follow their own circadian rhythm. Eating late at night, inconsistent sleep schedules, or even excessive blue light exposure can disrupt your internal clock, affecting your digestion and sleep quality.

An out-of-sync microbiome can result in:

• Trouble falling asleep
• Less deep, restorative sleep
• Increased night-time awakenings

How to Improve Your Gut for Better Sleep?

The good news is that your microbiome adapts quickly. You can make small lifestyle changes to improve your gut health, helping you achieve deep sleep and wake up feeling fresh.

Fuel Your Gut with Prebiotics and Probiotics

Prebiotics act as food for beneficial bacteria. Include fibre-rich options like oats, beans, broccoli, carrots, onions, leeks, bananas, and chia seeds in your diet.

Probiotics introduce good bacteria into your gut. Fermented foods like curd, yoghurt, kimchi, or sauerkraut promote new, healthy bacteria, improving your gut health.

Prioritise Fibre-Rich Foods

A diet low in fibre can lead to gut imbalances. Consume whole grains, legumes, and a variety of colourful vegetables to nourish your microbiome, which supports better digestion, and, in turn, improves the quality of your sleep.

Limit Ultra-Processed Foods

Refined sugars, processed foods, and artificial sweeteners can feed harmful bacteria, causing inflammation and blood sugar fluctuations that negatively impact both gut health and sleep.

Maintain a Consistent Eating Schedule

Eating your meals at regular hours can support a healthy gut. Avoid late-night snacking, as it can throw off your body’s circadian rhythm and cause poor sleep.

Manage Stress

High stress levels trigger the release of cortisol, which can cause poor gut health and suppress sleep hormones. Try to manage your stress by taking regular breaks during your day, indulging in hobbies you enjoy, connecting with nature, trying yoga or meditation, or practising mindfulness.

Stay Active

Exercise and regular movement help regulate your circadian rhythm and promote a healthy gut microbiome. Even a 30-minute walk every day can promote healthy gut bacteria, reduce inflammation, and improve digestion, and sleep quality.

What Have We Learnt? 

If you haven’t been able to sleep despite your best efforts, you might need to take a closer look at your gut health. Rather than looking for quick fixes like melatonin supplements, try to find the root cause of your sleep issues and work your way from the ground up. Small, mindful lifestyle changes can significantly improve both your gut health and the quality of your sleep.