New research from King’s College London suggests that irregular sleep patterns are linked to harmful gut bacteria. Many people have a tradition of sleeping in on lazy Sundays or staying up late on Saturday nights, but these findings might make them reconsider, as the study highlights the potential negative effects on gut health.

Sleep pattern changes associated with gut bacteria composition

The research conducted in partnership with personalized nutrition company ZOE is the pioneering project to reveal the link between the shift in a person’s body clock due to sleep pattern changes and different diet and stomach-related factors. These factors include dietary habits and quality, inflammation, and gut microbiome composition, all observed within a single group.

Previous studies have demonstrated that shift work can disturb the body’s natural rhythm and raise the likelihood of health issues like weight gain, heart conditions, and diabetes. However, the researchers contend that lesser-known is the impact of minor variations in sleep patterns on the body’ biological rhythms. One instance is the contrast between waking up early using an alarm on workdays versus waking up naturally on non-workdays for those with standard work hours.

Variation in sleep schedules affects gut microbiome composition

According to study findings even minor variations in sleep schedules during the week can affect gut bacteria composition. The research, led by Dr. Wendy Hall from King’s College London, suggests connections between these variations and gut flora changes, partly related to diet. The study emphasizes the need for intervention trials to determine if maintaining consistent sleep times could positively influence gut microbiome and health outcomes.

It is important to note that gut microbiome compositions may positively or negatively affect one’s health through production of beneficial metabolites or toxins. Also certain microbes may respond to an individual’s risk of long-term illness such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. One’s microbiome composition is influenced by the kind of food they consumer, implying gut diversity is adjustable.  Individuals with social jetlag are likely to consumer sugar-sweetened drinks, low quality diet foods and lo intake of nuts and fruits. All these dietary decisions could influence presence of certain gut microbiota.