The link between sleep and good health isn’t completely new. A lot has been said about it. In fact, according to a new study, poor sleep is linked to the gut microbiome, which then affects the overall health of a person. Improper sleep harms the gut microbiome. This even leads to additional health issues. This study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.
"Given the strong gut-brain bidirectional communication they likely influence each other," said co-researcher Jaime Tartar, PhD, a professor and research director in NSU's College of Psychology. "Based on previous reports, we think that poor sleep probably exerts a strong negative effect on gut health/microbiome diversity," he added.
In case you didn’t know, the gut microbiome is all the microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi and their genetic material found in the gastrointestinal tract. For this study, participants wore what Tartar called an "Apple Watch on steroids" to bed, which monitored all sorts of vitals. This way researchers could determine just how well a night's sleep the subjects received and then they tested the subjects' gut microbiome.
The findings indicated that those who were able to sleep well had a more diverse or better gut microbiome. Tartar added that gut microbiome diversity is associated with other health issues, such as Parkinson's disease and autoimmune diseases, as well as psychological health (anxiety and depression.)
"We know that sleep is pretty much the 'Swiss Army Knife of health. Getting a good night's sleep can lead to improved health, and a lack of sleep can have detrimental effects," Tartar said.
According to co-researcher Robert Smith, Ph.D., an associate professor and research scientist at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, there are a couple of factors that come into play.
One is genetics - some people are predisposed at a genetic level to have a more diverse gut microbiome than their friends and neighbours. Another is drugs - certain medications, including antibiotics, can have an impact on the diversity of your gut microbiome. Your diet plays a factor as well.
