Poor sleep not only makes you feel tired the next day — it can also quietly disrupt your gut health, mood, and overall well-being. From late-night meals to scrolling on the phone, even small mistakes in your nightly routine can interfere with the gut-brain axis, throwing off digestion, microbial balance, and hormonal rhythms.
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Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist trained at Ames, Harvard, and Stanford universities, shares seven common sleep mistakes that can disrupt your gut-brain axis. In an Instagram video posted on October 26, the gastroenterologist highlights how better sleep is not only the key to better gut health, but it also boosts your mood, and outlines the following mistakes to avoid.
1. Eating too close to bedtime
Dr. Sethi emphasizes that like the rest of your body, your gut also needs time to rest and recover. Eating late at night can delay gastric emptying, which not only causes reflux but also disrupts sleep. He recommends finishing dinner three hours before bedtime.
2. Scrolling before bed
Scrolling on your phone before bed can reduce melatonin production, as blue light interferes with your body’s natural sleep signals. Dr. Sethi highlights that this disrupts both sleep and gut microbial rhythms. He recommends turning off visuals at least 60 minutes before bedtime.
3. Caffeine after 2 pm
Gastroenterologists recommend switching to herbal tea or water after lunch, because the half-life of caffeine—which is the time it takes for your body to eliminate half of the caffeine in your system—is five to six hours. This means that half of the caffeine will still be present in your system after six hours. Dr. Sethi emphasizes, “Even one cup in the evening interferes with REM sleep and gut repair.”
4. Alcohol as a sleep aid
Many people try to drink alcohol to sleep, but this habit is harmful for their stomach health. According to Dr. Sethi, “It may make you unconscious but it also disrupts deep sleep and weakens the intestinal blockage overnight.” He recommends cutting out alcohol at least three hours before bedtime or giving it up altogether.
5. Sleeping at random times
Irregular sleep patterns can disrupt your circadian rhythm. Gastroenterologists emphasize, “Your gut microbes follow your circadian rhythm. Irregular sleep equates to microbial imbalance and inflammation.” He recommends maintaining consistent sleep and wake times.
6. Overheating at night
According to gastroenterologists, sleeping in high temperatures can cause fragmented sleep, leading to increased cortisol levels which disrupts digestion. He suggests keeping your bedroom ideally cool between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit to promote optimal sleep quality.
7. Ignoring stress before sleeping
Dr. Sethi says stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline delay digestion, which alters gut-brain signals. If you’re stressed, he recommends doing a deep breathing exercise for five minutes before bed.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
