Do Probiotics Help You Sleep Better
A recent study published in Nutrients looked at whether taking supplements containing a probiotic called NVP-1704 could improve rest. The study authors acknowledge that probiotics are essentially fuel that feeds the good bacteria in your gut, noting that NVP-1704 contains a mixture of probiotics that have been shown to regulate gut function and immune response to help ease anxiety and depression. This positive effect comes in handy at night when your body is trying to relax before falling asleep.
Participants included 156 healthy adults between the ages of 19 and 65 years old. Researchers asked 78 of them to take two probiotic capsules a day with water for eight weeks, while the remaining half took a placebo. They also filled out questionnaires asking about their self-reported symptoms of stress, anxiety, sleep quality, depression, and insomnia.
At the end of the study period, researchers found that the group taking the probiotic supplements had experienced an improvement in sleep quality, as well as a reduction in their depression and anxiety symptoms. Therefore, they concluded that taking daily probiotics could be a huge plus for your gut health and sleep quality over time.
Can Prebiotics Help You Get A Good Nights Sleep
Evidence is starting to emerge in scientific fields showing a link between gut health and the quality of sleep.
Current thinking suggests that adults should aim to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night for optimal health and wellbeing. But lets be honest, the majority of us do not come close to this amount. This can be for several reasons but when asked, most people will say they lose sleep due to stress.
Stressing over money, relationships, work! To top it off, poor sleep tends to exacerbate this stress response. It is a vicious cycle.
There is a study that has been published this year demonstrating how prebiotics can reduce stress and promote sleep, through feeding beneficial bacteria that lives in the gut microbiome.
Prebiotics Can Improve Sleep By Influencing Gut Bacteria Study Finds
Posted: 4 March 2020 | Sam Mehmet |
The research, carried out by University of Colorado Boulder, could lead to new approaches to treating sleep problems and insomnia, which affect approximately 70 million Americans.
Specific fibres known as prebiotics can improve sleep and boost stress resilience by influencing gut bacteria and the potent biologically active molecules, or metabolites, they produce, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research.
The biggest takeaway here is that this type of fibre is not just there to bulk up the stool and pass through the digestive system, said Robert Thompson, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Integrative Physiology and lead author of the study. It is feeding the bugs that live in our gut and creating a symbiotic relationship with us that has powerful effects on our brain and behaviour.
For the study, the researchers started adolescent male rats on either standard chow or chow infused with prebiotics and tracked an array of physiological measures before and after the rats were stressed.
As reported in the researchers previous study, those on the prebiotic diet spent more time in restorative non-rapid-eye-movement sleep. After stress, they also spent more time in rapid-eye-movement sleep, which is believed to be critical for recovery from stress.
Our results reveal novel signals that come from gut microbes that may modulate stress physiology and sleep, said Fleshner.
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Insomnia In Menopause Probiotics To Help You Sleep Better
MenoLabs News | Fri, Nov 01, 2019
Insomnia is a disorder, and it prevents you from getting adequate amounts of good sleep every night. Some people have trouble falling asleep, while others can wake up many times during the night and cannot stay asleep. Good sleep is key to many aspects of your health, which is why it is important to treat your insomnia in menopause. Studies on insomnia and probiotics can give more insight into the treatment.
For women in menopause, insomnia is another symptom that can appear alongside others like low sex drive, mood swings, and brain fog. In fact, over half of the women in menopause have insomnia. There are several reasons why your body is going through this.
First is, of course, hormonal changes. Because of lower levels of estrogen, your style of life can change, and this includes your sleep patterns. Lower progesterone levels also mean less sleep quality. The second reason for your insomnia might be meds that you are taking. For example, if you take anything for your symptoms or just started a new medication, you can also have sleep changes along with it.
Also, hot flashes can be the reason why you cannot sleep well in menopause. When they occur as night sweats, your body needs time to cool down right after, which is why you will find it harder to fall asleep when your hot flashes appear at night. And last but not least, mood swings are a common symptom among women that causes insomnia.
Poor Sleep Could Be A Symptom Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Dr. Drossman says that he has seen through patients and research that IBS can impact sleep. “We know that people with certain health conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease or IBS tend to have more disrupted sleep,” he says. ” gut-brain interaction disorders, so factors affecting the gut will affect the brainâand vice versa.” He explains that getting to the root causes of GERD, IBS, or other gut health disorders will not only lessen digestive distress, but will also help you sleep, too.
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Quick Rundown On The Gut
Research over the past decade has identified a close and constant interaction between the gut microbiome and the brain. We will quickly go over the basics on how the two connect to fully understand why prebiotics may be so significant when improving sleep.
So, what does the gut-brain axis look like? Well, it has three primary pathways between the gut and the brain. They send signals in both directions.
Immune system pathway
Both the brain and the gut microbiome stimulate activity of immune cells, which have a direct reflection on the bodys response to stressors through the modulation of inflammation.
Endocrine system pathway
Both the gut and brain regulate production and release of many hormones and neurotransmitters. These include cortisol , serotonin , melatonin , and dopamine amongst others.
Nervous system pathway
This is where the vagus nerve acts as a direct line of communication between the brain and the gut microbiome. Additionally, the micro-organisms in the gut can travel the vagus nerve into the central nervous system, where they directly affect brain activity, including sleep patterns and stress responses.
If you want to find out more about the gut-brain axis, check out our blog post here for more information.
Why Is The Gut Called The Second Brain
Growing up, you were probably taught that the brain is the master command center of the body. While thats partly true, you have another command center thats equally important, and its in your gut. Microbes have genetic elements that regulate all sorts of functions, including hormone production, metabolic activity, appetite, mood, andsleep.
In some ways, you could say that the brain and gut are close friends because they work as intricate partners to run this complex system day in and day out. One of the ways they do this is by communicating back and forth through something called the gut-brain axis. The gut and the brain are directly connected through the vagus nerve which runs from your brainstem to your intestines.
The vagus nerve connects to the enteric nervous system, which encompasses all the nerves in your digestive tract. This system is the second most dense area of neuronal activity next to the brain. Thats why theres a lot more truth to the phrase gut feeling than you may think.
All of the microbes in the gut have access to that enteric nervous system via the vagus nerve. This nerve also gives them direct access to the brain and vice versathe brain can influence the gut microbes too. All day long, they talk to each other and relay messages back and forth.
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Restorative Sleep Is Within Reach
If youd like to bask in a full night of deep restorative sleep, proven gut support can help you get there. Of course, not all gut support products are created equal…
This is one area where Just Thrive Probiotic can be such a game changer. It contains a combination of four superior spore-form probiotic strains that you wont find anywhere else. Not only does each of these strains arrive 100% alive to your gut to support healthy hormone levels and neurotransmitter production, they all bring unique health benefits to the mix:
- Bacillus Subtilis HU58 supports immune and cardiovascular health
- Bacillus Indicus HU36 manufactures essential and highly absorbable antioxidants directly in the intestines, where they are best used by your body
- Bacillus Coagulans tames inflammation throughout the body, especially in the digestive tract
- Bacillus Clausii protects other beneficial bacteria from assault by antibiotics and environmental toxins
Try Just Thrive Probiotic today, and get ready to enjoy the deep, restorative sleep tonight.
Just Thrive
Where To Get Probiotics For Insomnia
Would you like to give it a try and let beneficial bacteria help heal your insomnia? Then try getting probiotics from food or supplements. You can find them in such products as live yogurt, pickles, sauerkraut, kombucha, miso, or tempeh. And if you do not like the taste of these foods, or just want to try getting a larger dose of probiotics per day, check out MenoLabs probiotic supplements.
We at MenoLabs know the needs of women in menopause. That is why we have created a line of probiotics for women aimed at helping you with insomnia, hot flashes, skin problems, and other symptoms of menopause. Find the right supplement for you and start relieving your symptoms now and enjoy your overall health.
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How Probiotics Can Help You To Sleep Better
If you’re into healthy stuff, chances are you’ve been hearing quite a bit about probiotics recently. Its quite the buzzword these days, and TBH those tend to come and go. Happily, the probiotic movement is much more than a fad, and its been established that gut-healthy foods and supplements also have the potential to lay the groundwork for better sleep! Heres how.
HOW PROBIOTICS WORK AS A NATURAL SLEEP AID
There are a lot of natural chemicals involved in the process of kicking off and maintaining restorative sleep, and each needs to chime in at exactly the right time in exactly the right quantities. Many of these very important chemicals have a supply chain that starts in your gut. In fact, one of the most important jobs the gut has is to produce neurotransmitters! To work properly, your gut needs its intestinal flora to be happy, and to be happy, these guys need probiotics.
Here are three things you need to sleep well that are produced or controlled in your gut, if and when your gut is functioning optimally due to the presence of a happy intestinal biome:
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Serotonin. Aside from keeping you shiny and happy, serotonin also plays an important role in the transition to REM sleep, the fifth stage necessary for restorative sleep.
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Cortisol. Probiotics help to keep cortisol levels in check, which is critical for slow-wave sleep.
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GABA. Gamma-aminobutyric acid calms nerve activity so your brain and body relax enough to fall asleep.
Can A Healthier Gut Improve Depression
Another interesting finding is that a healthier gut can help resolve mental health problems such as mood swings, depression, and anxiety symptoms.
People who are dealing with these mood disorders, as well as those with sleep disorders, typically have imbalances in their gut microbes too, demonstrating that our gut can control much more than we thought.
The relationship between sleep and depression is well known. People who don’t get enough sleep are more prone to mood swings and depressive thoughts and behavior. This relationship goes both ways insomnia can trigger depression and vice versa.
Research shows that probiotics have benefits for mental wellbeing and are able to alleviate anxiety and depression, but also improve resilience to stressful episodes factors that can also influence sleep quality.
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Have A Night Time Routine
People are very habitual creatures. Our minds and bodies remember patterns and habits very well. So, if you create a nighttime routine, your body will slowly grow more tired and ready to sleep while you are completing it. For example, you can read a book before bed, or write an entry in a personal journal, meditate, take a warm bath, or drink chamomile tea.
Why Does Ibs Cause Fatigue
The digestive system, more specifically the small intestine wall, is a major site for absorption of food and nutrients into the body. If this isnt working properly, consequences result.
For example, if not enough essential vitamins and minerals are absorbed our energy levels will decrease. This is especially so if diarrhoea is present and food does not stay in your gut for any length of time.
In addition to this, our bowel contains billions of good bacteria. These produce a number of nutrients, including the B group of vitamins essential for converting our food into energy. If this process is disrupted our energy levels may suffer.
Another possibility may be that bad bacteria or pathogens appear unwanted and are absorbed through the gut wall, which can put the immune system under huge pressure, resulting in fatigue. Chronic fatigue syndrome has been known to appear in people after they have suffered from a bacterial or viral infection.
Sleep disturbances are also linked with IBS and sleeping badly can have an impact on energy levels during the day.
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Probiotics : How Good Bacteria Help Your Gutand More
Theres been a lot of buzz around probiotics for some time now. Theyre commonly known as the good bacteria in your bowels that can support healthy digestion and help ease uncomfortable issues, like gas, bloating, and occasional bowel movement irregularities.
These problems are as old as time and can also be brought on by a change in routine, like travelingor on the opposite end of the spectrumquarantining. While probiotics certainly deserve all the kudos they get for helping address these digestive concerns, theres far more benefits of probiotics.
For instance, growing research has shown an important link between the human gastrointestinal tract and the immune system. And guess whos the matchmaker bringing together this unlikely pairing? Its those friendly bacteria in your gut. As Dan Peterson, assistant professor of pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine commented, A huge proportion of your immune system is actually in your GI tract. And he was speaking specifically about probiotic bacteria.
Its true. You have literally trillions of microorganisms living inside your body, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. This is why so many immune boosting yogurts, full of friendly flora, are heavily promoted. But is morning, when people tend to consume yogurt, even the best time to take probiotics?
What exactly does this probiotic good work entail? A lot, actually, including:
Never Take Probiotics And Antibiotics Together
This is common advice thats also based on conjecture.
We know that antibiotics kill good bacteria, so itfollows that taking probiotics and antibiotics together is pointless,right? Actually, no. Our biology is wonderfully complex and we shouldnt thinkabout it in terms of simple mechanics.
Rather than cancelling each other out, research shows that taking probiotics and antibioticstogether is a more effective treatment than taking antibiotics alone.
The most relevant study to show this effect is a systematic review of 20,215 patients with H. pylori infections. Patients who took probiotics and antibiotics together were able to clear their infections better than patients who only took antibiotics.
This sort of finding has been found in SIBO and other gut infections too. Probiotic co-administration with antibiotics tends to enhance treatment results.
Bottom line: Its beneficial to take probiotics and antibiotics together.
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Hormone Replacement Therapy For Insomnia
Some women choose to treat their insomnia with hormone replacement therapy . And many studies have shown that it can help alleviate other symptoms of menopause. HRT consists mainly of estrogen, but progesterone also plays a vital role in treating insomnia. However, it is important to know your body and its needs before choosing therapy. There is an increased risk of breast cancer and blood clots associated with HRT that many women want to avoid. Therefore, they turn to more natural approaches for the treatment of insomnia.
How Probiotics And A Healthy Gut Can Lead To Better Sleep
If you are like the millions of people struggling to fall asleep at night, or stay asleep until your morning alarm, you may be wondering where exactly you can turn. Little known by many is the important role that gut health plays in ensuring you obtain a health nights sleep.
A lack of sufficient sleep on a nightly basis has incredibly pervasive impacts on both your mental and physical health. Sleep is necessary for both your brain and body to rest and recharge, and if you are not taking care of your body in that very important way you will likely start to feel its impacts in both your personal and professional life.
If you are looking for solutions to sleepless nights, its possible that you have considered either prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids. Those are not without their own side effects and can either lead to a groggy day, growing dependence on the chemical aids, or both.
Luckily, recent research is pointing to the belief that one very important aspect to maintaining healthy sleep is a healthy microbiome. Your microbiome is the name for the trillions of microorganisms that call your body home.
From your gut, to your skin, to your reproductive organs, your microbiome is responsible for aiding the body in some of its most important functions.
But how do the helpful little critters that call yourself home making lying down at night easier? Here are some of the ways.
Probiotics reduce stress and anxiety
Maintaining sleep cycles
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