Probiotics: Improving Sleep via the Gut-brain Connection
The gut-brain axis is a complex system that connects the brain to the gut. It uses different components, such as hormones, nerve cells, and immune cells, to send messages back and forth between them.
This system impacts various aspects of health, including sleep, according to a new study from Lindenwood University. The study sheds light on how taking probiotics could change how well you sleep, how much you move, your body shape, and how well your heart works.
Your digestive system is home to trillions of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Together, they form what we call the gut microbiota. When these microorganisms get out of balance, they can disrupt the communication between your gut and your brain, leading to various health issues.
Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms. When consumed in the right amounts, they provide health benefits by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Research suggests that taking probiotics can change the type of microorganisms in your gut. But it doesn’t stop there – it can also influence how your brain works. Could these changes impact your sleep quality? We’re getting closer to understanding.
Faster Sleep Initiation, Unaltered Objective Metrics
The scientists behind this study recruited 70 healthy men and women aged 18 to 50.
They divided the participants into two groups. One group received a multi-strain probiotic containing 1×109 live cells of four strains: Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Bifidobacterium longum. The other group received a placebo. Participants took the supplements for six weeks, followed by three weeks without supplementation.
Their goal was to investigate the efficacy of supplementing with a multi-strain probiotic on changes in sleep, physical activity, and body composition.
To achieve this, the scientists examined how closely the participants followed the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in their diets. They also checked their body weight, fat mass, body fat percentage, heart rate, and blood pressure. Participants kept their physical activity status throughout the study and informed the researchers about any changes.
To measure the participants’ sleep quality, researchers had them fill out the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). This 19-question questionnaire assesses various aspects such as usual bedtime, time taken to fall asleep, wake-up time, and hours slept per night. Each question is rated on a scale of 0 to 3, with a score of 3 indicating the most negative response. The scores from all questions are categorized into seven different aspects of sleep quality: sleep duration, use of sleep aids, disturbances during sleep, subjective sleep quality, habitual sleep efficiency, daytime dysfunction, and how long it takes to fall asleep. These component scores are then combined to calculate a total score. In terms of interpretation, a score of 5 or higher suggests poor sleep quality.
Participants also wore a wrist-based accelerometer to objectively measure additional sleep metrics such as total minutes slept, the number of times they were restless, the number of times they woke up during the night, and the total minutes they spent awake or restless.
The study shows that taking the multi-strain probiotic improved certain aspects of sleep quality. In summary, participants who took the probiotic mix for six weeks fell asleep faster than those who didn’t. This effect persisted even three weeks after they stopped taking the supplements.
According to the PSQI assessment, those who took the supplement also improved their overall sleep quality.
On the other hand, there were no differences in the sleep metrics found from the data from the devices, the more objective data. There were also no changes in diet, physical activity, heart function, or body composition during or after probiotic supplements.
A Natural Solution to Better Sleep
Probiotics are pretty popular right now. Just visit any grocery store, and you’ll find many probiotic-rich foods. Probiotic supplements are also readily available. Doctors often recommend probiotics to help with digestion issues. But it’s not sure that they actually help with sleep.
Some studies suggest probiotics may improve sleep quality, but the results are inconsistent. Before making recommendations, we need to learn more about how probiotics affect sleep and who would benefit from them.
However, there are a few things you can do that we know will help you get better sleep:
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
- Make sure your sleep environment is comfortable.
- Avoid consuming caffeinated drinks, alcohol, or heavy meals close to bedtime.
- Engage in regular physical activity during the day.
- Limit screen time before bed.
- Spend some time outdoors during the day to get exposure to natural sunlight or use light therapy if natural light is not an option.
- Try stress-managing techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, and meditation.
Sleep is crucial for overall health and well-being. If you don’t sleep well, you can become irritable and moody, find it hard to concentrate and get things done, and get sick more often.
To avoid all these problems, make sleep one of your top priorities. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night and build healthier sleep habits. That should help you get the rest you need. If you’re still having trouble with that, talk to a doctor.
