Sleep Problems and Your Gut

What is the vagus nerve? The name "vagus" comes from the Latin term for "wandering." The vagus nerve wanders from the brain into organs in the neck, chest, and abdomen. This nerve has two bunches of sensory nerve cell bodies, and it connects 90% of the neural fibers which transmit information from your gut to your brain. Essentially it is part of a long circuit that links the neck, heart, lungs, and the abdomen to the brain. It does so many things and is why I think the quote from the famous physician Hippocrates is so telling: ”All disease begins in the gut.”

Your gut bacteria can reduce serotonin levels from lack of sleep and other key hormones can change, such as melatonin, GABA, and dopamine. These all play a role in our mood and ability to sleep. The bacteria life within our bodies is in a constant state of flux, with microbes constantly being generated and dying every day. Some of this dying and renewal naturally occurs during sleep. Fifty percent of your detoxification comes through your gut and not your liver. What's going on inside your gut can greatly affect your sleep.

There is some pretty fascinating research connecting the gut microbiome to circadian rhythms,^[1,2] the 24-hour biological rhythms that regulate sleep and wake cycles. A growing number of studies now suggest that the vast and diverse microbial ecosystem of the gut has its own daily rhythms.

Another study was done in Japan^[5] on a group of 100 fourth-year medical students who were preparing to take a national qualification exam for promotion to the next level. The study divided the students into two groups. For eight weeks prior to the exam and three weeks after, one group drank a placebo beverage every day, while the other group drank a probiotic beverage containing the bacteria Lactobacillus casei. This bacteria is one of the beneficial bacteria found naturally in the human microbiome. It’s also found in kefir and some yogurts.

Both groups began to feel stress and anxiety as exam day approached. The placebo group began to experience problems with sleeping. They spent longer times getting to sleep and less time in the deep slow-wave sleep that is most replenishing to the body.

The group taking Lactobacillus casei had a different experience. They too had stress levels rise prior to the exam, but they didn't suffer the sleep problems that the placebo group experienced. In contrast, they didn't have problems falling asleep, experienced deep slow wave sleep, and felt more rested and ready for the day than the placebo group. This study concluded that consuming the probiotic Lactobacillus casei may have helped protect the students’ sleep during an otherwise stressful time.

The rhythms of gut microbes are greatly affected by diet. What you eat and when you eat affects how strong and healthy your microbiome becomes and how well you sleep. A recent study^[6] using rats found that eating a healthy diet full of fiber (food for bacteria in your gut) generated more beneficial gut microbes, and that the activity of microbial life in the gut followed a daily healthy rhythm with better sleep patterns and more hormonal balance.

I have found that the way to get back to normal sleeping is all dependent on how much kefir, yogurt, and fiber I consume. L. reuteri yogurt is the most effective of all the cultures for sleep, and one-half cup of L. reuteri taken in the morning makes me sleep like nothing else. Kefir or Yogurt Plus, if taken at bedtime, reduces cortisol that can come from perimenopause, menopause, or just good old stress. If you have high levels of cortisol at night, which happens to a lot of people, then you need to bring this down so your body can sleep and make melatonin and GABA that will relax you and allow you to sleep. Having lots of fiber is also a way to feed your microbiome and allow those good-guy microbes to grow and flourish. Remember, fiber is food for your microbes which are constantly being generated and dying every day. These foods have helped me sleep in times when I normally wouldn't be able to sleep.

Check it out for yourself  - nourish your microbiome and see what happens. It's amazing what these trillions of microbes that live inside of us can do. Take care of them and then watch them take care of you.