Researchers from King’s College London and ZOE, a personalized nutrition company, delved into the link between inconsistent sleep patterns and gut health.
Their findings, presented in The European Journal of Nutrition, provided the first insights into the relationship between social jet lag (when sleep cycles vary between workdays and free days) and various health metrics, including diet quality, inflammation, and gut microbiome composition.
Historically, the dangers of shift work and its impact on our body’s internal rhythms have been discussed extensively, especially concerning weight gain, heart disease, and diabetes.
However, lesser-known are the ramifications of minor sleep inconsistencies – like waking up to an alarm on weekdays versus waking up naturally on weekends.
Dr. Wendy Hall, the senior author of the study, emphasized that their findings shed light on how even minor sleep time deviations might be linked to variations in gut bacteria.
While some of these links may be tied to dietary habits, other factors remain unidentified.
Why Does Gut Microbiome Matter?
Our gut is home to a myriad of microorganisms, the composition of which can swing the pendulum of our health in either direction – for better or worse.
Specific microbes may increase our risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, or obesity. Fortunately, because our diet influences the gut’s microbiome, we have some control over its diversity.
In this study, researchers scrutinized samples from 934 participants in the ZOE PREDICT study, which is the largest ongoing nutrition study of its kind.
Unlike prior studies that primarily focused on individuals with obesity or diabetes, this cohort was mostly lean and healthy, with the majority sleeping over seven hours per night consistently.
Key Findings:
A mere 90-minute variation in sleep midpoint – the middle mark between sleep and wake-up times – corresponds with differences in gut microbiome composition.
Social jet lag corresponds with a lower-quality diet, higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, and reduced intakes of fruits and nuts.
Three out of six microbiota species, more abundant in those with social jet lag, are linked with suboptimal health indicators, poor diet quality, obesity signs, cardiovascular risk, and increased inflammation.
Dr. Kate Bermingham, the study’s first author, reiterated the importance of sleep as a cornerstone of health. She emphasized how even a slight shift in sleep timing could foster gut microbiota species that negatively impact health.
The Takeaway
Considering previous research has tied social jet lag to weight gain, chronic illness, and mental fatigue, this study underscores the importance of maintaining regular sleep patterns.
Dr. Sarah Berry adds that by merely ensuring consistency in our bedtime and wake-up schedules, we might improve our health through positive impacts on our gut microbiome.
If you care about sleep, please read the science on 3 traditional bedtime remedies, and this sleep supplement may help prevent memory loss and cognitive decline.
For more information that diabetes, please read green tea could boost gut health and lower blood sugar, and this diet could boost your gut health and weight loss.
The study was published in The European Journal of Nutrition.
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