Sleep is critical for your body's repair and recovery and your digestive system is no different. Bad sleep habits can disturb gut function, influence metabolism and even cause digestive disorders. Bad sleep habits can disturb gut function, influence metabolism and even cause digestive disorders. During sleep, your digestive system repairs and regenerates itself, producing hormones that regulate hunger and fullness. In a conversation with The Daily Jagran, Dr Anukalp Prakash, Director - Gastroenterology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram explained the link between sleep and digestive health.

Link Between Sleep And Digestive Health

Sleep Controls Digestive Rhythms

Your digestive system has a natural circadian rhythm. Good, consistent sleep aids in synchronising digestion, nutrient uptake and bowel function. Annoying the sleep can disrupt this rhythm, causing constipation or abnormal digestion.

Bad Sleep Makes Acid Reflux More Likely

Lying down shortly after meals, particularly without sufficient sleep can worsen acid reflux. Lack of sleep has also been found to weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, becoming less effective at keeping stomach acid from flowing upward.

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Sleep Impacts Gut Microbiome Balance

The gut microbiome, which consists of three or four trillions bacteria in your intestines is healthy when your body maintains a regular sleep-wake pattern. Inadequate or irregular sleep distorts the populations of these microbes, resulting in bloating, inflammation or compromised immunity.

Stress Due To Lack Of Sleep Affects Digestion

Sleep deprivation increases stress hormones such as cortisol which may retard digestion cause bloating or exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms.

Night Shifts And Irregular Sleep Damage The Gut

Individuals working night shifts or with irregular sleep patterns are more susceptible to digestive disorders such as GERD, ulcers and alterations in bowel habits because of interference in regular digestive rhythms.

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Quality Sleep Facilitates Appetite Regulation

Sleep regulates hunger hormones—ghrelin and leptin—that affect how much and when you eat. Poor sleep will cause late evening snacking or overeating which puts a strain on digestion.

Sleep Positions Can Enhance Digestion

Lying on your left side can alleviate acid reflux symptoms since it keeps stomach acid lower in the oesophagus. Bad sleeping position, however, might exacerbate discomfort.

Digestive health relies on more than diet alone, it's also a matter of quality sleep. Sleep 7–9 hours straight, don't eat heavy meals close to bedtime and stick to a regular sleep schedule so that your gut can run at its best.