I am all about finding healthy and sustainable ways to live a more productive and meaningful life. Therefore, I have completed 18 30-day challenges to build sustainable habits so far. Here is the plug-in if you would like to read any of my challenges.
No doubt, we underestimate the importance of sleep.
We all know that an average adult needs 708 hours of quality sleep to function. It’s also true that some need more or less than that to live a healthy life.
Personally, if my gut health is disturbed, here are the top two things I follow.
1- I go for a long walk, trying to do 5–8 km or 5 miles. In other words, it’s close to 10,000 steps a day.
2- I prioritize my sleep.
Most of the time, doing the above-mentioned steps, I am good to go. Most of the time, I do even don’t need to visit a physician. Here is a cation tho.
Please note that this article is not health advice. It is for information purposes only. The content reflects my review of credible sources from scientific papers.
I also observed that lack of sleep or poor sleep could increase acid reflux the very next day.
What is circadian rhythm?
A circadian rhythm is a natural process to regulate the sleep and wake-up cycle. In a nutshell, it’s your body’s internal 24-hour clock.
For example, from the past few months, I have made sure to go to bed on/before 11:30 PM, and I am naturally up between 7 and 8 AM. That’s perfect for me.
Note: In 2023, I made a pact to myself that I was not going to take my cell phone to the bedroom. I am not going to use any alarm clock to wake up. It was really hard in the first couple of weeks.
Now its works like a charm. Imagine waking up without an alarm clock, and I also do not consume any electronics or even a physical book in the first 15–30 minutes after waking up.
Sometimes it helps a lot just to sit and think.
Here are the most common problems you can observe if you need more quality sleep.
Microbiome disruption
Many studies show that poor sleep can disrupt the microbiome.
There is a comprehensive study conducted in 2016 showed that a lack of sleep could affect the gut flora. Gut flora is the complex community of micro-organisms that live in the digestive system: bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.
The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep.
— Dr. Matthew Walker
Constipation in men and women
Lack of sleep is directly related to passing stools on a regular basis. The study also shows that a lack of sleep, primarily poor sleep, can cause one to sleep in the middle of the night.
I highly recommend practicing a bedtime routine that suits your lifestyle. This article will help you a lot to understand the importance of sleep: dark bedroom, coolness, absolutely no screens.
Quality sleep can help to reduce your stress which is directly related to improving your digestive system in the long run.
The bottom line
Sleep deprivation is the most common brain impairment. — William C Dement
To sum up, focus on your sleeping routines to improve your overall health. Here I wrote another article last on how to improve your sleep.
I am simply copying the stuff; for details, please click here.
Set a sleep Schedule (super, super important)
Avoid caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime; try decaf if you cannot control your coffee intake.
Exercise: Hit the gym, walk, hike (best), try outdoor activities
Avoid big meals before bedtime, and focus on a huge breakfast
Set room temperature, invest in excellent curtains to go pitch black
Sleep is the best meditation. — Dalai Lama
