The secret to good sleep is in your gut!
Is the key to restorative sleep hiding in our gut? To sleep well, it’s no longer enough to count sheep; we also need to keep an eye on our gut bacteria, just to make sure that we really do have the right microbiota for good sleep.
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About this article
The saying, “Eat well, sleep well” may actually be true. Your stomach does seem to have an influence on sleep. How? Via the gut microbiota, the famous collection of bacteria that resides in our guts. And to prove it, researchers carried out a series of surprising experiments. 1
3 to 5 A good night’s sleep consists of at least 3 to 5 sleep cycles lasting 90 minutes. ²
10-20% Approximately 10% of the adult population suffers from an insomnia disorder and another 20% experiences occasional insomnia symptoms. ³
40% Insomnia is often a chronic condition, with a 40% persistence rate over a 5-year period. ³
No microbiota, no good sleep for mice
First, the scientists were interested in mice: some with a "healthy" gut microbiota, others with no gut microbiota (sterile gut). The result? The mice with no microbiota had sleep that was completely out of sync. Their day-night cycle was disrupted, as though they had forgotten to wind their inner biological clocks. But what was the precise role of the microbiota in their sleep?
Well, that’s where the metabolite butyrate, produced by our gut bacteria, comes in. This tiny chemical “messenger” seems to have a direct effect on our brain, in particular on the key zone for sleep: the lateral hypothalamus, which manages our alertness. Butyrate thus helps with falling asleep by modifying the activity of certain neurons.
What role does the microbiota play in the gut-brain axis?
And in humans?
To go further, the researchers wanted to verify whether humans suffering from insomnia had different gut flora from those of good sleepers. Verdict: people with insomnia presented with an imbalance in their microbiota, and in particular, a reduction of bacteria that produce butyrate. The result: less butyrate, less restorative sleep. The observation made in mice was confirmed in humans.
But the story doesn't end there. The researchers also transplanted the gut flora of a human with insomnia into mice. And guess what? These mice developed a sleep disorder similar to humans with insomnia. Fortunately, administration of sodium butyrate to these mice was enough to make them fall back into dreamland.
All of this opens the way to new therapeutic strategies for insomnia. Perhaps one day, in addition to herbal tea, a course of probiotics will be prescribed for a good night’s sleep. In any case, one thing is certain: it seems that in order to sleep well, it will also be necessary to pamper your microbiota!
