How Sleep Quality Affects Gut Health
- Apr 20
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 22
Sleep is fundamental for physical and mental wellbeing, yet is still one of the things that many of us compromise. Sleep surveys report that at least one third of adults experience poor or disturbed sleep. While actual sleep needs vary and are individual, most adults need a minimum of 7 hours to support optimal health and wellbeing.
How poor sleep impacts your gut
Poor sleep can have many negative effects on your gut. It is associated with increased cortisol, inflammation, gut permeability (often referred to as “leaky gut”), and can contribute to uncomfortable gut symptoms like bloating. Lack of sleep can also disrupt your hunger and satiety hormones (ghrelin and leptin), making you feel hungrier, and more likely to crave energy-dense, ultra-processed foods. Over time these changes can alter your gut microbiota, reducing beneficial bacteria types, and increasing pro-inflammatory species.
The gut-sleep relationship works both ways
Your gut and gut microbes can also influence your sleep quality, by producing neurotransmitters that regulate sleep and promote calm. Food choices can also play a role, and skipping breakfast, having an irregular eating pattern or a high intake of fat or sugary foods, or a low intake of fruit, vegetables or fish have also been associated with poorer sleep quality.
Practical tips to support better sleep
How much sleep you get might not always be in your control (particularly if you have small children), but there are a few things you can try to promote better sleep quality:
Keep regular sleep and wake times (even on weekends)
Avoid backlit devices (mobile phone, computer, tablet, tv) 1-2 hours before sleep
Limit "sleep disrupters" such as caffeine (especially after midday) and alcohol
Incorporate relaxing activities into your evening routine, for example yoga, tai chi, meditation, deep breathing exercises, reading, or journalling.
If a busy mind impacts your sleep, have a pen and paper handy to write down any niggling thoughts before bedtime, or if you wake in the night
Are you interested in learning more about how to support better sleep and a healthier gut? Join the waitlist for my online gut health course, Restore-Balance-Thrive here.
