Statistics show that over 300 million people in China have sleep disorders, with 3/4 of them falling asleep after 11 PM, and 1/3 staying awake until 1 AM. Moreover, there is a trend of sleep disorders becoming more common among younger individuals.
With the scientific communitys deeper understanding of gut microbiota, targeting the gut microbiome to regulate the hosts circadian rhythms and improve neurological issues caused by insomnia has achieved theoretical breakthroughs and demonstrated significant practical value.
Professor Dai Wenxin, director of the Geriatric Medicine Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment Center at Hainan Chengmei Hospital and an expert in gut microbiome therapy, discusses how gut microbiota affects sleep.
Gut Microbiota as "Sleep Regulators"
Many people have experienced that when they are angry or upset, they lose their appetite; when they are nervous, they may have diarrhea; and when they are annoyed, they may vomit or burp. This shows that there are many mysterious "emotional connections" between the gut and the brain. The gut is the only organ that can function without the brains supervision, often referred to as the "second brain" of the human body. This connection is known as the "gut-brain-microbiome axis," abbreviated as the "gut-brain axis."
The Gut-Brain Axis refers to the interaction and communication channels between the brain and the gut, involving multiple systems such as the nervous, endocrine, immune, and metabolic systems. In the sleep mechanism, gut microbiota influence sleep quality and structure by producing metabolites like butyrate, indicating that changes in gut microbiota can affect sleep.
Regulating Microbiota to Improve Sleep Quality
Gut microbiota can be broadly categorized into beneficial bacteria, neutral bacteria, and harmful bacteria. When there is a suspicion of dysbiosis, precise testing of gut microbiota can accurately assess the microbiome status and help quickly identify the underlying causes. Following this, one can undergo gut microbiota transplantation therapy as per medical advice.
What is Microbiota Transplantation?
Gut microbiota transplantation involves transferring functional microbiota from the feces of healthy individuals into the gastrointestinal tract of patients, reconstructing a new gut microbiome, adjusting the balance of gut bacteria, and treating both intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases.
In multiple clinical treatments, fecal microbiota transplants from healthy donors have improved sleep in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, as well as alleviated their depression and anxiety.
How Gut Microbiota Regulates Sleep
Through gut microbiota technology, it is possible to reconstruct the composition of gut microorganisms. This may also provide treatment for psychiatric and immune-related diseases, significantly enhancing sleep quality.
Dysbiosis can lead to increased intestinal mucosal permeability, allowing neurotoxins released by various harmful bacteria to affect the central nervous system through multiple pathways, resulting in neurological dysfunction and various sleep disorders.
The beneficial microbiota brought by microbiota transplantation can effectively balance gut microbiota, repair intestinal permeability, reduce gastrointestinal issues, and various neurodevelopmental disorders, bringing new hope to insomnia patients and enabling them to "fall asleep instantly"!
Expert Introduction
content is for health education purposes only
It is not intended for clinical diagnosis or medical advice
If there are any infringements or violations related to text or images
Please inform us promptly of the removal
Editor | Huang Fei