Your gut can impact a number of things regarding your mental and physical health. We decided to start posting about your gut and sleep this week, as it is mental health awareness week and we believe a good diet and sleep contribute to the wellbeing of your mental health.
Sleep is incredibly important to our mental wellbeing. You need sleep to recharge your brain and body, relax and gain energy for the next day. Insomnia can increase depression and anxiety, which can make you stressed and harm your immune system. Food is a great way of levelling your moods, so you can have a restful nights sleep and avoid episodes of mania or bipolar depression.
Our intestines store a large concentration of micro-organisms , called the microbiome, where many bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa live; playing a vital role in our digestion.
Our microbiome affects our sleep, in the same way it affects our mental health, as it is regulated by circadian rhythms. In 2016, a study at Uppsala University was carried out on how duration of sleep affects the human microbiome on nine, healthy, young, average men who had regular sleeping and eating patterns. From two nights of sleep depravation, there was a decrease in the beneficial bacteria and a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
Your gut is linked to your brain and so what you eat can affect your mood and in turn affect your sleep: people who suffer from diseases or problems with their gut generally suffer poor sleep leading to issues with their mental health. George Porter Phillips, a British chemist, researched how treating your gut could ease melancholia. Phillips fed patients at Bethlem Royal Hospital, a pescetarian diet, with Kefir, the fermented drink of friendly bacteria (lactobacillus) to aid their digestion / gut and out of 18 patients, 11 were cured from melancholia completely. The bacteria, lactobacillus, found in yoghurts and supplements, has been used in other research studies, which show taking this meant less difficulty falling asleep; strengthening a deeper sleep and in turn waking up more refreshed.
Sleeping and eating may be as obvious as breathing. However, some of the simplest things can also be the most challenging. Therefore, we will be providing some suggestions on foods and recipes to improve your gut health to assist better sleep hygiene and improve your general mental wellbeing.
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