Is Your Microbiome Wrecking Your Sleep?

Why We are Tossing & Turning - It’s Not Just Caffeine

Our gut is home to trillions of microorganisms — and some of them have their own circadian rhythms. These microbes influence the production of key neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, both of which play essential roles in regulating melatonin, the hormone responsible for initiating sleep. Disruption in the balance of your gut microbiota can interfere with this cascade, leading to poor sleep quality and delayed onset of rest.

The Gut-Brain Soap Opera: Now Streaming in Your Nervous System

This isn’t a one-way conversation. The gut-brain axis is a complex, bidirectional communication network involving the central nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and the microbiota — mediated by neural, hormonal, and immunological signals.

When the gut is inflamed or dysbiotic, melatonin production may decrease while cortisol levels (the body’s primary stress hormone) rise — a combination associated with sleep fragmentation and reduced sleep efficiency. Moreover, insufficient or poor-quality sleep further disrupts microbial diversity and balance, perpetuating a feedback loop of fatigue, inflammation, and sleep disturbance.

Microbiome-Approved Bedtime Snacks

• Tryptophan-rich foods: Pumpkin seeds, bananas, turkey

• Prebiotic snacks: Oats, asparagus, green bananas

• Fermented faves: Kefir, miso, sauerkraut

These nutrients help stabilize your gut microbiome and promote the natural production of neurotransmitters tied to sleep regulation

New Blue Light Sleep Hack

Exposure to artificial blue light — especially in the evening — suppresses melatonin production and delays the body's natural sleep response. I personally use TrueDark red-lensed glasses about 20 minutes before bed. These glasses are engineered to block specific wavelengths (blue and green light) that interfere with circadian rhythm and melatonin synthesis. They have shown promise as a non-pharmacological tool to support sleep onset and depth.

Deeper Dive

• Adriano dos Santos,*, Serena Galiè. The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis in Metabolic Syndrome and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review , Nutrients, 2024 Jan 29;16(3):390.

• Nikita A Wong, Hamed Bahmani A review of the current state of research on artificial blue light safety as it applies to digital devices, Cell Symposia, May 2025

The content in this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your wellness routine. For full disclosure information, see Health Claims Disclosure | Sage Crew.