You may have already read about a research article or two that ties the good bacteria that live in our gut to many other health factors, from heart health, to weight, to mood. Here’s another feather in the cap: if you support your gut with prebiotics (especially through events known to diminish gut health, like stress) you can improve your quality of sleep.
The study looked at rats who had prebiotics added to their diet, and found that rats who got prebiotics had improvements in both REM and non-REM sleep.
And as important as sleep is, it’s underrated. Insomnia doesn’t just push your mental limits, sleep is about restoring your whole body; it’s important to heart health as well as brain health and for supporting your immune system when it has work to do (always try and find time to sleep if you’re tired).
Other research has found that prebiotics may boost brain function, so this just further strengthens those ties between gut health and your brain.
What are prebiotics? They’re a type of dietary fiber found in onion, garlic, leeks, and similar vegetables. Prebiotic food helps good gut bacteria to thrive, and creates byproducts that research suggests boosts brain function. In turn, having good gut bacteria may help with diabetes, stomach flu, weight, and health issues all over the body.
If you don’t want to incorporate raw garlic into your diet, or want to be sure that you start each day with some prebiotics, Spirulina is a prebiotic available in supplement form. You can also jump start your good bacteria colonies with a probiotic supplement like Flora MGR.
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