Gut Health and Sleep: Balance Your Gut Microbiome and Sleep Better!
Many things can influence our ability to sleep well, including our diet. Our gut health and sleep are linked much more closely than you may think, and so with some small adjustments to your diet and lifestyle, you might just unlock the secret to better gut health and improved sleep.
How are gut health and sleep linked?
The gut and our brain are closely linked through the vagus nerve, so the functioning of our gut can have an impact on our brain functions, including our sleep. In order to sleep well, our body needs to produce neurotransmitters like serotonin, which are then required to create melatonin, the essential hormone that supports our sleep-wake cycles. Without this, our gut health and sleep are impacted.
The effective production of these neurotransmitters is enhanced when our gut microbiome is as healthy as it can be, and the majority of people have direct control over this in terms of the foods and drinks that they consume. Healing your gut is also known to reduce inflammation and stress, two other factors which can impact our sleep quality.
How can I improve my gut health and therefore sleep?
Luckily, there are plenty of lifestyle changes you can make in order to improve your gut health and help you to sleep well!
Eat more probiotics and fibre
Probiotics are key to improving our gut health and sleep, as the live cultures introduce good bacteria to our gut, aiding digestion, producing essential nutrients and helping our bodies to absorb the vitamins and minerals that we consume properly. Fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso contain the probiotics we need.
Fibre is also important for our gut health and therefore sleep, as fiber is resistant to digestion, and so it fuels the bacteria in our gut. This supports the growth of healthy bacteria further to benefit our gut health and overall health! Fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains and legumes are all high in fiber and great to incorporate into our diet.
Reduce your intake of processed and high sugar foods
Processed foods, particularly ones that are high in sugar, can not only disturb our gut microbiome which then has a knock on effect on our sleep, but also have a direct impact on our sleep short term. Eating sugary foods and drinks too often can cause our blood sugar levels to rise, potentially affecting the nervous system causing irritation and irritability, as well as dehydration and general fatigue. Consistent and healthy blood sugar levels can be achieved by eating a balanced diet containing gut healthy foods, which then improves our gut health and sleep.
Minimise alcohol
Similarly to processed and sugary foods, drinking alcohol often can impact the health of our gut, as well as disrupt our sleep shorter term. Alcohol is known to disrupt the REM cycle, which is key for sleep, which is why after drinking alcohol often people struggle to get a good night's sleep. On a longer term basis in terms of ongoing gut health, alcohol can change the composition of the gut microbiome, reducing the number of healthy bacteria, which then impacts our overall gut health and sleep. So, minimising alcohol helps both your shorter term sleep and also longer term through your gut health.
How kefir can help heal your gut health and improve sleep
One of the easiest foods to incorporate into your diet to support your gut health and sleep is kefir! Kefir is good for gut health as it contains millions of healthy bacteria to fuel your gut and strengthen your microbiome, which then positively impacts so many elements of our health and wellbeing, including our ability to sleep well. Good sleep can be transformative to how we feel, and by introducing kefir into your diet, you can notice a real difference in how you feel, by either having 250ml of our kefir drinks or 250g of our kefir yogurt per day.
Kefir can be added into your routine wherever you’d usually have yogurt, whether it’s in a savoury recipe like a curry or a tzatziki, you’re making something sweet like a granola bowl or pancakes, you simply want to enjoy a pot of yogurt or you’re looking for a protein boost with a kefir protein yogurt! With both options for drinkable kefir and yogurts, there are so many options and flavours to suit you and your family.
Want to see the positive impact that kefir can have on your gut health and sleep? Join our gut health reset today!
