DIGESTION
Boost your gut-brain bond
There are many factors thought to contribute to our gut and brain health, and the good news is that there are some simple things that can have a really positive impact on both. Here, expert Cara Wheatley-McGrain shares her top tips…
ENJOY SOUND SLEEP
‘An important part of the relationship between the gut and mental health is sleep,’ says Wheatley-McGrain. ‘We all know how even a few nights of disrupted sleep can increase our sense of irritation and overwhelm, and for those of us who experience chronic patterns of poor sleep, there is evidence of an increased risk of mental illness.
‘But what has our gut got to do with all this? Well, it turns out our gut bacteria are intertwined with our circadian rhythm, and the patterns of bacteria in our gut alter over the 24-hour cycle. Lack of sleep impacts the health of our gut microbiome, and a healthy microbiome can protect the quality of our sleep, so they really do go hand in hand.