by Sara Uceda Gutiérrez, Manuel Reiriz Rojas,The Conversation

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

It's no accident that we spend a third of our lives asleep. It is essential to our health, and even animals for whom resting is complicated—such as aquatic mammals that need tosurface to breathe, or birds that goup to 10 days without touching dry land—manage to sleep with surprising adaptations.

But while we sleep, the tens of trillions of microorganisms that live within us—known as the microbiota—follow their own rhythms. This microscopic colony, composed mainly of bacteria, can weigh as much as200g. Together with its host, it forms abiological unitknown as theholobiont.

The microbiota is not just a passenger. Within each person's body, it comprises a functional unit, one that influencesvital processessuch as digestion, immune function and, as we will see here, sleep.

Our relationship with the microorganisms we harbor is also deeply interdependent. Not only do we provide them with a place to live, but we also depend on them to maintainnumerous biological functions. This delicate balance is increasingly being linked to health, well-being and, quite possibly, tolongevity.

A two-way relationship

As with many physiological processes, the relationship between our microbiota and sleep isbidirectional. In other words, your microbiota can influence how you sleep, but a good night's sleep is also vital to maintaining a diverse and balanced microbiota.

When it is healthy, the microbiota produces, among other substances,short-chain fatty acidssuch asbutyrate. These molecules are associated with reduced inflammation and improved functioning of various neuroendocrine pathways, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which regulates the body's stress response. Proper functioning of this system can help reduce nighttime cortisol levels, resulting in deeper sleep and fewer awakenings during the night.

Furthermore, the gut microbiota is linked to the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which is associated with positive mood states.

How to get a better night's sleep: Three tips

There is no such thing as the perfect microbiota, as each person has their own unique microbial ecosystem. The key is to maintain a functional balance and, should any imbalance arise, to remember that improvements are usually achieved through gradual lifestyle changes.

To this end, here are three ways to help improve the relationship between sleep and microbiota:

1. Fill your plate with fiber:Diet is key, as a well-nourished gut microbiota reduces body inflammation and improves sleep quality. Vegetables, fruit, pulses, whole grains and fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir or fermented cabbage (sauerkraut, kimchi) feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut.

TheMediterranean dietis particularlybeneficialformicrobial diversity. Reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods also helps to maintain the balance.

2. Stick to a regular schedule:Exposure tonatural light, especially in the morning, is another key factor. Light acts as a fundamental signal for synchronizing your circadian rhythm. Reducing exposure to bright artificial light at night can improve sleep quality and help keep biological rhythms in balance.

Getting enough good-quality sleep isn't just about resting—it's also a way tomaintain balancein the microscopic ecosystem that accompanies us throughout our lives. And that balance can, in turn, have a profound impact on our physical and mental health.

Just a few days'sleep deprivationcan alter the composition of the gut microbiota, increaseinflammatory responses, and lead to increased intestinal permeability. It can even alter the body's response to glucose the following day or an individual's cognitive ability.

3. Get moving every day and manage stress:Regular exerciseis linked to greater microbial diversity and more restful sleep. And it doesn't need to be intensive training: walking, cycling or swimming are all beneficial.

And while it may not be the easiest thing to achieve in modern societies, it is important to manage stress effectively. Practices such as conscious breathing,yoga, meditation ormindfulnesscan help to reduce it. So can simple activities such as maintaining meaningful social relationships ortaking a walk in nature.

Reducing stress not onlybenefits your mental health, but also the health of your gut microbiota. This, in turn, has a major impact on the quality of your sleep.

This article is republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.

Key medical concepts Flora, Intestinal Fatty Acids, Volatile Butyrate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis