Most people don’t realize their gut and sleep quality are directly linked… until they start working together and feel the difference.

Your gut and your sleep cycle are in constant conversation. They’re part of the same beautiful, interconnected system that supports your digestion, mood, skin, and overall vitality. 

When one’s off, the other feels it.

With just a few supportive shifts in your daily rhythm and nourishment, you can start syncing your microbiome and circadian rhythm so they come together to support deeper rest, smoother digestion, and more vibrant energy throughout your day!

Let’s take a closer look at what actually happens to your gut while you sleep, and why that matters so much for your overall well-being.

The Science Between Sleep and Digestion

Your digestion doesn’t just stop when you go to sleep! 

Even while you’re dreaming, your body is still hard at work breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and detoxifying.

But it does so differently than it does during the day, guided by a powerful system called your parasympathetic nervous system (also known as the “rest and digest” branch of your nervous system).

This system slows your heart rate, conserves energy, and turns your attention inward, literally. Blood flow is redirected to your internal organs, allowing your gut to continue its digestive tasks in a more peaceful, efficient state.

Why Deep Rest Matters for Healthy Digestion

Your body cycles through different sleep stages, from light sleep to deep slow-wave sleep (SWS) and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. These stages impact digestion in subtle but significant ways.

• During slow-wave sleep, your body repairs tissue, strengthens your immune system, and prioritizes internal housekeeping—including nutrient assimilation and gut lining repair.
• REM sleep supports hormonal balance and metabolic regulation, both of which affect how your body processes food and stores energy.

How Do You Digest Food When You’re Sleeping?

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “don’t eat too late,” here’s why it matters.

Your gut motility (the movement of food through your digestive tract) slows significantly at night. This gives your body time to shift into repair mode, but it also means heavy meals late in the evening can sit longer in your system, leading to bloating or discomfort.

Your gut has its own internal cleaning crew that works overnight. 

It’s called the migrating motor complex (MMC), a wave-like motion that sweeps through your intestines while you’re not eating (typically during sleep or fasting) to clear out debris, old bacteria, and undigested food.

This process is essential for maintaining gut balance and reducing bloating, gas, and bacterial overgrowth.

Studies show that the MMC is especially active during sleep and plays a vital role in preventing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.1

The Sleep Gut Connection is a Two-Way Street!

Your gut and sleep are in constant conversation. When you’re well-rested, digestion improves. And when your gut is healthy and balanced, it supports deeper, more restorative sleep.

When you’re well-rested, your digestive system functions more efficiently. That’s because sleep helps regulate hormones that influence your gut, like:

• Cortisol, your stress hormone, which can become elevated when sleep is poor—leading to inflammation and impaired digestion.
• Ghrelin and leptin, which control hunger and satiety, are thrown out of balance when you’re sleep-deprived. This can increase cravings and make it harder to choose nourishing foods that actually support your microbiome.

On the flip side, a balanced, healthy gut plays a direct role in improving sleep quality.

Here’s how:

• Your gut produces up to 90% of your serotonin2, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and is a precursor to melatonin, th hormone that tells your body it’s time to rest.
• A diverse and balanced gut microbiome helps regulate your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that governs your sleep-wake cycle.
• Certain probiotic strains have even been linked in studies to reduced sleep latency3 (how quickly you fall asleep), longer sleep duration, and better sleep quality.

This means that when your gut is thriving, your brain gets the signal to slow down, reset, and sleep more soundly.

And that’s why the sleep-gut connection is so powerful: when one improves, so does the other!

6 Ways to Support Better Sleep and Gut Health Naturally

Here are six simple but powerful ways to create more harmony between your digestion and your sleep cycle.

1. Why a Consistent Sleep Schedule Supports Gut Health and Deep Rest

One of the most important things you can do for both your gut and your sleep is to stick to a consistent schedule. I can’t emphasize this enough!

Our bodies thrive on rhythm, especially your gut and your circadian clock! That means going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (yes, even on weekends!).

When your schedule is all over the place, your body has to work harder to regulate everything from digestion to hormone production to energy levels. You might feel more bloated, more sluggish, or just…off.

I talked more about this on the podcast 8 Health and Wellness Benefits of Keeping a Consistent Sleep Schedule, where I break down exactly why it matters and how to gently find your flow!

When you create consistency, your nervous system feels safe. Your digestive system gets into a rhythm. Your sleep becomes deeper and more restorative.

Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day this week, and notice how much more balanced and grounded you feel!

2. How Light Resets Your Sleep and Digestion

One of the very first things I do each morning, before I check my phone or even make my Glowing Greens Smoothie, is step outside and greet the sun.

Getting 10–20 minutes of natural light first thing helps reset your circadian rhythm. This gentle exposure to sunlight signals your body that it’s time to wake up, energize, and get your systems moving, literally. 

It also supports regular elimination and helps set you up for more restful sleep that night!

If you’re struggling with sluggish digestion or wired-at-night energy, try this simple morning ritual. It’s one of the most powerful shifts I’ve made in my daily routine!

Related Reading: What to do When You Are Struggling to Fall Asleep

3. A Digital Curfew Helps Your Gut and Sleep Work Better Together

I say this with so much love—what we consume at night isn’t just food. It’s also the media we scroll, the emails we answer, and the constant blue light our eyes absorb.

Unplugging from screens at least an hour before bed gives your nervous system a chance to transition into rest mode. Blue light from phones and laptops suppresses melatonin, your body’s natural sleep hormone, which can delay or disrupt your ability to fall asleep. 

Not only that, but mental stimulation keeps your digestion from slowing down in the way it’s meant to at night.

Try swapping your screen for a book, soft lighting, or a bath!

This is just one piece of the puzzle, though! Your entire nighttime routine is incredibly important! 

I spoke with Dr. Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and leading sleep expert known as “The Sleep Doctor”, about creating an optimal nighttime routine that supports natural melatonin production in my podcast that you can listen to here. 

His tips are simple but powerful, and they’ve become staples in my own evening routine!

4. Eat a Whole Foods-Based Diet for Restorative Sleep

What you eat during the day directly impacts how you sleep at night and how efficiently your gut works around the clock.

Whole, unprocessed plant foods are rich in fiber, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals that feed your gut microbiome and keep your digestion flowing smoothly.

On the other hand, processed foods, excessive sugar, alcohol, and additives can create inflammation, disrupt microbial balance, and leave you feeling heavy, bloated, or foggy.

These are some of my favorite recipes that calm the nervous system while nourishing the gut:

• Nighttime Dream Elixir: A soothing blend designed to promote deeper sleep.
• Sweet Sleep Banana Elixir: Naturally sweet, fiber-rich, and relaxing.
• Namaste Brown Rice Pudding: A comforting, satisfying dessert that supports digestion and warmth.

5. Take a Daily Soil-Based Probiotic for Better Sleep

I take my Feel Good SBO Probiotics every single morning—no matter what. Even when I’m traveling, even when my diet’s clean, even when everything else feels “on point.” This is a non-negotiable in my wellness routine.

As I said above, a well-supported gut helps regulate the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and melatonin, which are key for deep, restorative sleep.

And while I love probiotic-rich foods (and include them regularly!), I’ve found that most people need a little extra help, especially with all the stress, toxins, and antibiotics we’ve been exposed to.

Soil-based organisms are a heartier, more resilient type of probiotic that actually survives stomach acid and makes it to your gut, where they do their best work. My formula also includes:

• Prebiotics to feed your healthy bacteria
• Probiotics to repopulate your gut 
• Postbiotics to support communication and balance within your microbiome

This way, with one simple addition to your morning routine, you’re setting up your entire system to feel lighter, clearer, and more rested!

6. Your Left Side is the Best Sleeping Position for Better Digestion

The way you sleep can make a real difference in how well your body digests and detoxifies overnight.

If you’ve ever felt bloated or heavy at bedtime, try sleeping on your left side.

Here’s why: your stomach is shaped like a J and positioned slightly to the left in your body. 

When you lie on your left side, gravity actually helps food move more easily through your digestive tract, from your stomach into the small intestine, and eventually into the colon.

This position may also reduce heartburn and improve waste elimination, helping you feel lighter and more balanced the next morning.

Related Reading: Insomnia and Sleep Issues with Dr. Michael Breus

The Gut-Sleep Loop Starts With You

Your gut and your sleep are powerful allies. And the more you support one, the more the other begins to flourish.

You don’t need to overhaul your life to feel better.

A few simple shifts, like honoring your sleep schedule, nourishing your microbiome, and creating space for rest, can have a powerful ripple effect throughout your entire body.

Start where you are, stay consistent, and trust that your body is always working to support you!

With all my love,

References

1. Khanijow, V., Prakash, P., Emsellem, H. A., Borum, M. L., & Doman, D. B. (2015). Sleep dysfunction and gastrointestinal diseases. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 11(12), 817–825. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4849511/
2. Bektaş A, Erdal H, Ulusoy M, Uzbay IT. Does Serotonin in the intestines make you happy? Turk J Gastroenterol. 2020 Oct;31(10):721-723. doi: 10.5152/tjg.2020.19554. PMID: 33169710; PMCID: PMC7659911.
3. 3. Liu, Y., Chen, Y., Zhang, Q. et al. A double blinded randomized placebo trial of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 on sleep quality and gut microbiota in healthy adults. Sci Rep 15, 11095 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95208-2