This is what Swiss researchers have just shown. This is further proof that the belly is our second brain.
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We already knew the link between microbiota and sleep in adults, but these researchers from the universities of Zurich and Friborg have just shown that this interaction takes place very early, before the age of one year. They indeed followed 162 infants at home for ten days. Their parents had to note the times of bed, waking and meals. The sleep time of these babies was recorded using a motion sensor they wore on the ankle, some were also fitted with sensors on the head to monitor brain activity. At the same time, these researchers took samples from the diapers to monitor the state of the intestinal flora.
Their conclusions are clear: babies with poorer intestinal flora, therefore containing fewer microorganisms, also have a poorer quality of rest at night, with more restless, more fragmented sleep. Suddenly they sleep more during the day. These researchers also point out that the diversity of the microbiota is associated with greater brain activity in these babies: from very early childhood, what happens in the intestines therefore influences brain development, they point out.
In an adult, the microbiota is a mass of two kilos of microorganisms (bacteria, microbes, viruses) which are involved in digestion, but also in the manufacture of different molecules that regulate our neurological and immune system. This is how the work of these inhabitants of our bowels can influence our sleep and that a depleted or imbalanced microbiota can promote the occurrence of mood disorders, obesity, or certain inflammatory diseases.
You can take care of your intestinal flora with probiotics but the result is not guaranteed, and it is better to seek advice, because not all cocktails are created equal. Otherwise in general, the best way to take care of your microbiota is to eat a variety of meals. Be careful not to abuse sugars, animal fats and processed products, which promote the bacteria responsible for inflammation. While foods containing fiber (green vegetables, raw vegetables or fruits) on the contrary promote the development of beneficial microorganisms for the intestine.