Any health and fitness expert will tell you that if you want to be healthy and have more energy, you must follow a few basic rules. First, you must eat well: a good diet filled with fruit, vegetables, grains, and protein. It would help if you also worked out. Having regular physical activity in your routine is a must. And finally, you have to sleep. Healthy sleep patterns are fundamental and greatly benefit your mental and physical health. People who get enough sleep are more active, less likely to get sick, more focused, and more productive. It is safe to say that sleep dramatically affects our overall wellness. Well, today, we are going to focus on one particular aspect of this. We will explore how lack of sleep can affect gut health.
Sleeping is the time when our digestive system recuperates and
What happens to our bodies when we sleep?
Before we go into how lack of sleep can affect gut health, let’s talk about what happens to our bodies when we do sleep. When we go to sleep, our neurons send signals throughout our bodies. It means It is time to switch to a sleeping state. This period is the time for our body to recover and repair. Our nerve cells reorganize, our cells repair, we start getting the necessary energy, and we release hormones. We feel the effects of this the next day. When you get the recommended 8 hours of sleep, the next day, you will be in a better mood, have more energy and focus, and feel better overall, including your digestive system.
What happens to our digestive system when we don’t sleep?
We are going to name some of the most common issues lack of sleep causes in our digestive system. They range from the ones solved easily to those a little more complicated. The good news is that with some changes in your lifestyle, you can prevent most of it.
- Slow metabolism
- Constipation
- Inflammation of the bowels
Our metabolism slows down
Our digestive system uses the time when we sleep to recuperate and rest. That doesn’t mean it is completely inactive, but it slows down. It needs that rest so that the next day, it can do its job efficiently. The issues start when we don’t get the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night. You will naturally feel tired and will lack energy. And that goes for your whole body, including your digestive system. As it did not have enough time to rest the night before, your metabolism will simply have to slow down. And while it’s not a big deal if it’s a one-time thing, if it turns into a regular sleeping pattern, you are going to have problems. Most notably, a slow metabolism can result in weight gain and, in some severe cases, obesity.
Constipation is an incredibly uncomfortable issue
Lack of sleep can affect gut health and cause constipation
Lack of sleep can lead to this very uncomfortable problem. Research has proven that there is a connection between lack of sleep and constipation, but many people don’t know that these two things are related. As we said previously, when we don’t sleep enough, our digestive system doesn’t have the time to rest properly, so it can function the next day. This leads to a reduced bowel movement. When our bowels slow down or stop working, it leads to constipation. And while constipation is always a cause for a big concern and usually goes away on its own, it should not be ignored. You should call your doctor immediately if you are still constipated after more than a week or feel great pain.
Causes inflammation
When we don’t get enough sleep, there is an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in gut inflammation. This condition has various symptoms that range from mild to severe ones. Things like fatigue, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, and blood in your stool are all signs of gut inflammation. When you notice this, you should call your doctor. This condition is very painful and uncomfortable, and you will have to make some changes because it will not go away on its own. First, you are going to have to start eating an anti-inflammatory diet and take the doctor-prescribed probiotics. You will also need to consult your doctor about exercises you can do. Then you will have to make a lifestyle change and reduce your stress levels. And finally, you will have to change your sleep patterns. Sleep will improve our gut health and, in turn, stop the inflammation from happening again. But you have to be consistent.
A lack of sleep can affect gut health, and that’s why you should work on making your sleeping patterns healthier
How to improve our sleep patterns?
Now that we know the connection between lack of sleep and gut health, it’s time to tackle the issue head-on. Some of the things that cause a disturbance in our sleeping patterns are increased stress, a bad diet, a lack of working out, and anxiety. One of the worst things you can do is eat a huge meal right before bed. That’s because your digestive system gets overwhelmed with food intake, and instead of resting as it was supposed to during the night, it now must stay active and digest this incredibly late meal. When people are stressed or anxious about something, like a job interview or relocation to a new home, it is very common that they experience issues with sleeping. For example, according to experts at bestlongdistancemovers.com, most people are incredibly stressed about their move, especially on moving day. Try not to let stress dictate your sleeping habits; instead, focus on getting the necessary eight hours so you can avoid uncomfortable gut issues.
In conclusion
As you can see, lack of sleep can affect gut health in many ways. It can cause mild issues but also some that will need medical assistance. Those eight hours of sleep are crucial for our digestive systems and our body overall. Having healthy sleeping patterns will be beneficial for you in many ways. And as soon as you start getting the normal amount of sleep, you will notice the effects immediately. Your mood will be better, and you will have a lot more energy.
Ready to schedule your Colonoscopy in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati? Tri-State Gastroenterology Associates is a physician-owned and independent practice founded in 1982. Our team of Top Doctors, nurses, and medical assistants live in this community and care for this community. We serve patients living in the Tri-State Area and are in the network with most insurance plans.
It is our mission “To provide compassionate, high quality, cost-effective care to patients with gastrointestinal related problems.”