Sleep is a fundamental pillar of overall health and is essential to health in several ways. As we sleep, our bodies engage in vital processes, including tissue repair, memory consolidation, hormonal regulation, and immune system maintenance. Adequate sleep is crucial for cognitive function, emotional stability, and optimal physical performance. It supports the growth and repair of tissues, regulates metabolism and appetite, and helps maintain a healthy immune system. Quality sleep is associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, while chronic sleep deprivation is linked to a wide range of health problems. Prioritizing sleep hygiene is one key for promoting longevity, vitality, and a higher quality of life.

The Link Between Sleep and Digestion

Because digestion and gut health are directly linked to so many aspects health, it’s important to understand the crucial role sleep plays in digestion and gut health. During sleep, the body undergoes important processes that support digestion, so prioritizing getting a good sleep on a regular basis is something that should be top of mind for everyone. Here’s a closer look at some specific ways in which sleep hygiene affects digestion and gut heatlh:

1. Production of Digestive Enzymes: During sleep, the body produces digestive enzymes essential for breaking down and absorbing nutrients from food. Consistent and restorative sleep supports the proper functioning of these enzymes, ensuring efficient digestion and nutrient absorption. This allows your body to properly use the food you’ve eaten to keep your body running well.
2. Influence on Gut Microbiota Composition: Sleep influences the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome. Adequate sleep promotes a healthy balance of gut bacteria, while sleep disturbances can alter this balance, leading to dysbiosis, inflammation, and an increased risk of digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas, heartburn, constipation, and diarrhea. It can also lead to more serious gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
3. Regulation of Appetite Hormones: Adequate sleep is vital for maintaining the balance of appetite-regulating hormones such as leptin and ghrelin. Sleep deprivation disrupts this balance, leading to increased hunger and cravings for high-calorie foods, which can negatively impact digestion and gut health by promoting overeating and weight gain. If weight loss is one of your goals, working on your sleep patterns is a must!
4. Regulation of Autonomic Nervous System: Sleep plays a crucial role in regulating the autonomic nervous system, which controls various digestive processes such as peristalsis (how materials move through the digestive system) and gastric acid secretion (necessary for breaking down food properly). Disruptions in sleep patterns can disrupt these processes, leading to common digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, and irregular bowel movements.

Actionable Tips for Better Sleep and Gut Health:

Because of the connection between sleep and gut health, improving one tends to have a positive effect on the other. This is excellent news because both play such a significant part in supporting the body and keeping us healthy. It’s like killing two birds with one stone! Here are some actionable items you can start today that will help you rebalance both:

• Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock and promotes better sleep quality. You won’t believe how much of a difference this will make!
• Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Engage in calming activities before bedtime, such as reading, meditation, or gentle stretching. You want to get that parasympathetic, reset and restore system activated. Avoid screens and stimulating activities (like the watching the news or intense movies or shows, or working out) that can interfere with your ability to fall asleep.
• Optimize Your Sleep Environment: Make your bedroom conducive to sleep by keeping it cool, dark, and quiet. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows to enhance your sleep quality. This becomes more important as we age because we naturally don’t sleep as soundly. I highly recommend using a sleep mask and ear plugs – this was so helpful for me.
• Limit Stimulants and Heavy Meals Before Bed: Most people already know this, but it’s worth repeating. Avoid consuming caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and heavy or spicy meals close to bedtime, as these can disrupt digestion and interfere with sleep. You want to leave ample time for your body to be finished digesting before you get into bed.
• Incorporate Stress-Relieving Practices: Manage stress through techniques like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, aromatherapy. Chronic stress is a fact of life for way too many of us and it can negatively impact both sleep and gut health.

The most important thing to keep in mind for all of these is that you have to be consistent. You can’t do them every now and then and expect your sleep to suddenly be amazing. It will take some time to reset your body and for sleep to come more easily for you.

Herbs and Supplements for Better Sleep

For added support, herbs and supplements can be an effective alternative to pharmaceutical sleep aids, with fewer side effects. They help promote relaxation of your body and mind, which is a big part of falling (and staying) asleep. The herbs/supplements I find to be most effective are:

• Valerian root – used to alleviate insomnia and promote relaxation before bedtime.
• Magnesium: plays a role in muscle relaxation and can help improve sleep quality. It can be taken as a supplement or by incorporating magnesium-rich foods into your diet. Leafy greens, nuts, and seeds are good options.
• L-Theanine: an amino acid that promotes relaxation and it’s been shown to help fall asleep to sleep more easily and have a deeper sleep. 
• Chamomile: Chamomile tea is known for its calming properties and can help induce sleepiness and soothe digestive discomfort.

*Always be sure to consult with your doctor before taking any supplements, especially if you’re taking any medications.

Make Sleep a Priority for Healing and Staying Healthy

For so many people, sleep often takes a backseat for a variety of reasons. Many simply aren’t aware of the extensive impact that sleep has on overall health. Most people understand that sleep is necessary for feeling rested, but they often don’t put much thought beyond that. Prioritizing sleep is essential for overall health, including digestive health and gut function. By adopting healthy sleep habits, implementing stress management techniques, and considering the use of herbs and supplements, you can support both your sleep and digestive systems. Remember, achieving optimal health is a journey, so be patient and consistent in your efforts to improve sleep and gut health.

Sleep hygiene is one of the pillars of my 3 month program. If you’re ready to make sleep a bigger priority in your life, I can help. Click below to book a free Symptom Evaluation Session with me so I can help you get started.