That this has to do with the gut-brain axis is known to only 52 percent. The vast majority of students do not know that improving gut health can help against stress (84 percent) and sleeping problems (83 percent). 87 percent think that sleeping well helps against stress. 84 percent mention exercise/sports, 65 percent good nutrition and only 8 percent probiotics.
Sleeping problems
To combat sleeping problems, 78 percent of students mention exercise/sports, 64 percent say that healthy food can help, 50 percent less alcohol and only 6 percent mention probiotics.
Keeping intestines healthy
Yet 1 in 5 students do nothing to keep their intestines healthy. 60 percent eat healthy and 54 percent mention sport/exercise. Sleeping well (38 percent), drinking less alcohol (20 percent), taking probiotics regularly (15 percent) and taking supplements (15 percent) are also mentioned as activities to keep the intestines healthy.
No fewer than 86 percent of students know that gut bacteria are important for health. That the intestinal microbiota (also known as intestinal flora) also plays a role in your mood and sleep quality is known to slightly less than half. For students, health benefits can therefore be achieved by paying extra attention to their intestinal health, especially during stressful periods.
Intestines communicate with the brain
The abdominal pain and sleeping problems that many people experience during stress are caused by the interaction between the gut and the brain. The intestines communicate with the brain via an extensive nervous system in your intestines, the enteric nervous system (ENS). This ENS is also called the second brain. When the brain experiences stress or tension, the ENS directs blood away from the abdomen. When this happens you experience a ‘knot in your stomach’.
A rich collection of bacteria in your gut aids in better, restorative sleep. But if your gut bacteria have a dip (for example due to antibiotic use or unhealthy eating), this also affects the relationship between your gut and your brain and your sleep can suffer.
Intestinal problems
But it also works the other way around. If you are awakened by things that concern you, for example just before exams, this in turn affects the balance of the intestinal microbiota. It can even reduce your natural defenses. It can also lead to intestinal problems, a reduction in the quality of sleep and sensitivity to colds. This corresponds to the complaints reported by the students in the study.
Fermented milk drink
Earlier studies among medical students who drank a fermented milk drink containing lactic acid bacteria for 8 weeks showed that they slept better and had less stress than the control group who drank a placebo (drink without probiotics).
Professor Robert Jan Brummer, professor of gastroenterology: “There is a close collaboration between our brain and gut. In my current research work I look at the relationship between nutrition, the microbiome, the gut and the brain. Because it would be great if you could, for example, ‘reduce’ your stress or ‘improve’ your sleep by taking good care of your intestines. Lifestyle is very important here. Think about a healthy diet, enough exercise and enough rest. Probiotics can be a nice addition, according to our own research. But what exactly works best will differ per person.
By: National Education Guide
2023-05-02 07:29:13
#Research #Sleep #problems #stress #among #large #proportion #students
