How better gut health could improve your sleep.

Another reason to fix your gut! If your gut is unhealthy you may very well be experiencing trouble sleeping.

How is sleep related to gut health?

Your gut microbiome and metabolism are related to your sleep and circadian rhythms. Although most people don’t think of the health of their gut if they are having trouble sleeping, it may very well be the culprit! Poor food choices, toxins, emotional and physiological stress can all affect the composition of gut microorganisms. The gut microbiome and inflammation within it may be linked to sleep loss, circadian misalignment, affective disorders, and metabolic disease. As always, another issue comes back to the health of your gut!

Stop drinking alcohol. It is terrible for the gut (any tissues alcohol comes into contact with) and can defiantly impair your sleep.

“The gut microbiome not only affects the digestive, metabolic, and immune functions of the host but also regulates host sleep and mental states through the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Preliminary evidence indicates that microorganisms and circadian genes can interact with each other. The characteristics of the gastrointestinal microbiome and metabolism are related to the host’s sleep and circadian rhythm.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290721/

So what do you do if you are having sleep issues?

First start by eliminating irritants from your gut such as foods with lectins (legumes, dairy) and hard-to-digest cellulose fibers (hello kale). Then start to incorporate more nutrient-dense foods such as grass-fed meats, wild-caught seafood, and pastured chicken and eggs. You can also incorporate my favorite gelatin for gut repair. Lastly, it has to be said, stop drinking alcohol. It is terrible for the gut (any tissues alcohol comes into contact with) and can defiantly impair your sleep.

Need more help? Sign up for 1-1 health coaching with yours truly so we can work on your gut and heal your health issues once and for all!