You’re probably already familiar with the benefits of a good night's sleep – waking up on the right side of the bed, that refreshed feeling, the AM energy that lasts all day long. Sleep is essential for our quality of life. And while it’s a chance for our minds to go OOO, it’s not just a passive state.
Your body keeps working to keep all your systems moving while you're catching Z’s. One of the main tasks on sleep’s agenda? To give your digestion a chance to finish off the day’s work + prep it for the next – making a good night sleep all the more important.
So, in this blog post, we’re exploring the link between sleep and digestion, plus why it’s so important for your digestive system to get the right amount of shut-eye every night.
The Importance of a Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep isn’t just a luxury – it’s a fundamental necessity. When we sleep, our bodies get a much-needed break to repair, regenerate, and restore. Studies show that poor sleep is related to multiple psychological consequences such as anxiety, depression, low cognition, and ADHD/ADD. So while sleep is essential for our mind and moods, it’s also vital for our physical health – including digestion.
While you drift off into dreamland, your body works overnight to repair itself. And when you enter the deep sleep stage – aka ‘slow-wave sleep’, your body is able to focus on important healing processes to aid digestion.
The Deal with Digestion & Sleep
Digestion is a complex process. It’s when the body breaks down food into nutrients, absorbs these nutrients for usable energy, and rids itself of waste. Digestion mainly occurs in the muscular tube known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. But every part of the process, from the mouth to the colon, plays an important role. Learn more about how the digestive system works here!
Pulling an all-nighter might sound like a fun idea, but your gut definitely isn’t throwing any parties. Restful sleep is essential for a thriving digestion, and skimping out on it can throw off this delicate balance, negatively affecting digestion in multiple ways. Here’s some examples:
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Circadian Rhythm Disruption: Poor sleep throws off the body’s internal clock, which can lead to irregular bowel movements and gastrointestinal issues.
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Hormone Havoc: Studies show that a lack of sleep increases ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decreases leptin (the fullness hormone), which can often lead to increased appetite and late-night snacking that disrupts digestive rhythm. It also causes higher resistance of the hormone insulin, causing blood sugar to spike.
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Stress Surge: Inadequate sleep can increase cortisol levels (a stress hormone) which can cause inflammation in the gut. Inflammation can cause all sorts of tummy troubles – like leaky gut, microbiome imbalances, and poor nutrient absorption.
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Detox Delays: Without enough hours of sleep, the body doesn’t have enough time to remove toxins and waste properly – which can lead to those AM backed up blues.
So, getting that shut-eye is a must-have for your digestion. And while your digestive system doesn’t move things along as quickly as it does when you’re awake, it still continues when you’re asleep.
Your Digestion's Night Shift
Like we said, the digestive process might slow down during sleep, but it still remains active to make sure things are moving along the way they should be.
Curious to know what your gut’s up to late at night? Here’s how sleep supports a steady, healthy digestion during the night:
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Digestive Processing: When it’s lights out for you, your digestion clocks in for its night shift. Your body gets down to business to process and break down all food and drink from the day. This is vital for waste elimination, as those unwanted waste products are moved through the large intestine and turned into stool.
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Slow and Steady Metabolism: Metabolism, the process of converting food into energy, slows down when you get tucked in at night. This allows for more gradual digestion that matches up with your body’s reduced energy needs during sleep.
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Nutrient Distribution: Sleep isn’t just for dreaming. It’s your body’s prime time for cell regeneration and repair. All those absorbed nutrients from the day’s food are dispatched to the cells that need a little refresh.
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Gut Rejuvenation: The liver, an essential organ for digestion, works throughout the night to detoxify and renew our bodies. This detoxification process ensures that the digestive system is ready to go by the time we reach for that morning protein shake.
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Decreased Gas: As your body’s way to make sure your beauty sleep isn’t interrupted, the production of stomach acid and digestive enzymes slows down. This prevents those midnight bathroom runs while allowing the digestive tract to reset.
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Refresh + Reset: When you’re asleep, your digestive system gets a well-deserved break, preparing it for the next day. The decreased overnight activity helps preserve a healthy gut lining.
Arrae Constipation for Overnight Digestive Support
While your digestion moves along at a slower pace when you’re asleep vs. when you’re awake, it’s still hard at work to empty out your stomach and eliminate unwanted waste from the body. But without proper sleep and/or a proper functioning digestive system, the body can’t do what it needs to do during those zen hours.
This can lead to a not-so-beloved state in the morning, constipation. You probably know that feeling: waking up and not feeling like you can start the day until you go #2. It happens, and Arrae is here to help.
Our Constipation Alchemy Capsules work overnight to get things moving so you can wake up and go with ease. The best part? It’s free of harsh laxatives, and instead blends all-natural, gut-loving ingredients that take your digestive system from 0 to 100.
The superstar ingredient, Actazin Kiwi, works overnight to stimulate digestion. It’sa natural source of fiber and polyphenols, setting you up for regularity you can rely on. Kiwi fruit fiber is able to swell up to 3 times its original volume. Fun little fact: That’s 12X more than wheat and 6X more than apples!
This special fiber teams up with magnesium citrate and flaxseed to soften stool consistency, making it easier to pass. This trio works together overnight to make your mornings less of a battle and more of a breeze.
Triphala, an ancient herbal blend, plays its part by cleansing the colon. It acts as a mini detox for your gut while you soundly sleep, supporting your body’s natural waste elimination process. And last but not least, aloe vera (known for its anti-inflammatory properties) wraps up the overnight shift by calming and soothing your gut – no cramping, no stomach pain, no more backed up blues.
Keep your digestion in tip-top shape while you sleep with Arrae Constipation today!
Sleep Tight Every Night with Arrae Sleep
Getting quality sleep is more than just about clocking in the hours. We mentioned above that your body is able to focus its energy on digestion once it's in deep sleep – the third stage of sleep. And unfortunately, climbing into bed 8 hours before your morning alarm doesn’t guarantee enough deep sleep – not without the right help, atleast.
Sleep by Arrae is an all-natural, non-habit forming sleep aid that makes sure you sleep tight, every night. Crafted with a mix of herbs and a neurotransmitter, Sleep supports deep sleep without the grogginess or “hangover” effect that comes along with melatonin aids.
Our non-habit forming formula works in-sync with your body’s natural sleep wake cycle. Fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day.
*Disclaimer*: This article is purely informational and does not imply any evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent diseases, nor should it substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.
References:
Carbonell, Violeta Clement, et al. “Sleep Quality, Mental and Physical Health: A Differential Relationship.” PubMed, National Library of Medicine, 18 Jan. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7826982/#B1-ijerph-18-00460.
Dantas, Roberto O, and Cynthia G Aben-Athar. “[Aspects of Sleep Effects on the Digestive Tract].” PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12184167/#:~:text=Data%20sources%3A%20Gastric%20emptying%20is,during%20diurnal%20or%20nocturnal%20sleep. Accessed 14 Mar. 2024.
Egmond, Lieve, et al. “Effects of Acute Sleep Loss on Leptin, Ghrelin, and Adiponectin in Adults with Healthy Weight and Obesity: A Laboratory Study.” PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2023, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36404495/#:~:text=Conclusions%3A%20Acute%20sleep%20deprivation%20reduces,extended%20periods%20of%20sleep%20loss.
Newsom, Rob, and Abhinav Singh. “Slow-Wave Sleep: An Overview.” Sleep Foundation, 15 May 2023, www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep/slow-wave-sleep.
“Your Digestive System & How It Works - Niddk.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works. Accessed 14 Mar. 2024.
