We all know how much harder the day can be after a bad night's sleep. Especially in times of stress, whether from work, family, or studying, sleep is all important. If you have insomnia, which is thought to affect 1 in 3 people in the UK, you may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Repeated sleepless nights can trigger a range of physical and mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and stress, and can cause problems such as poor concentration, slower reaction time or a general decline in mental functioning.

As we know stress can be very damaging to sleep patterns. When we sleep less this can cause a surge in our stress hormones in the hippocampus - in particular cortisol that creates a vicious circle in disturbing circadian rhythms.

Prebiotics are fibres that feed probiotics. A recent study by Thompson et al suggests that prebiotics reduce the physiological impact of stress on the body and in turn the quality of  sleep. Young rats were given a diet rich in prebiotics from the age of three weeks and their rapid eye movement REM and non rapid eye movement NREM was studied.

Previous research on rats suggests that daily stress can affect your gut microbiome, the healthy gut flora.  When there is an imbalance in the gut - known as dysbiosis -  this can alter your sleep/wake cycle.  Ensuring optimal feeding of your gut flora in your intestinal tract will also  help prevent a compromising of your immune system.

To maximise the benefit of your gut microbiome you should consider the following:

• Eat plenty of fermented foods - fermented raw vegetable, kefir either water or dairy
• Increase levels of soluble and insoluble fibre - vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted vegetables
• Get dirty - bacteria in the garden and getting hands in the soil a great way of building immunity
• Do the dishes rather than using a dishwasher, for less chance of sterility
• Open the window and take in natural light and increased air flow