Good morning,
You know how I’ve been talking a lot about your gut health lately? How exercise and what you eat play a big role?
The Quick Catch-Up:
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria. Keeping the population of your “microbiome” in balance helps support your health & wellness, from your mood and brain to your heart and digestion!
Great you are caught up!
Well today I want to switch it up and talk about something new that makes a BIG difference …
Your sleep!
Sleep Is A Two-Way Street When It Comes To Gut Health
What happens in your microbiome affects your sleep … but also, the quality and quantity of sleep you get affects your gut!
Scientists are learning more about this all the time, but one big reason your gut impacts your sleep quality has to do with your HORMONES. (yes, this is for both women and men!)
So many of your hormones are either produced in your gut or the result of other things that happen there …
… and that includes melatonin, a hormone that plays a big role in your sleep-wake cycle!
Plus, two of your main “feel-good” hormones – serotonin and dopamine – are also involved with your gut!
So … if your microbiome is out of balance because of
- a poor diet
- too many antibiotics (which can kill good bacteria)
- stress
it can all affect your sleep.
And likewise, if you’re not sleeping enough or are tossing and turning all night because of stress or a hectic schedule, it can lower the number of your good bacteria.
This is all the more reason to make sure you actually Sleep or Downshifting Routine (a.k.a schedule or plan) enough time each night for sleep since burning the candle at both ends by cutting back on sleep can mean your gut health takes a hit!
If falling asleep is a struggle for you, it can be helpful to create an evening routine you do every night. This will help you wind down before bed – and signal your body it’s time to go to sleep.
Do You See How Everything We Do Is All Interconnected?
Diet, sleep, exercise … it ALL plays a role. It’s pretty amazing if you stop to think about it.
- Visit the first blog post of this series here, for a quick overview of gut health.
- Visit this blog post for ways to help your gut nutritionally.
- Here is a helpful recipe!
- And here is the connection between exercise and your gut.
Lots To Take In …
If that feels like a lot to do, let me help you put a personalized plan together to help you reach your health and wellness goals, in a progressive and tailored way, so you do not feel overwhelmed.
If you’d like some guidance on your health and wellness journey, I’ve got time for 2 Free Discovery Tele-Health sessions for the remainder of this week.
Just send me an email if you want to book a time.
Make your day an amazing day,
Francois
CEO & Chief Medical Exercise Specialist at the Other Pain Clinic Inc™