Irregular Sleep and Harmful Gut Bacteria | Dr. Will Bulsiewicz Live Q&A

Irregular sleep habits can create a breeding ground for harmful gut bacteria. Even small changes to your normal sleep schedule can make a big difference in gut microbiome composition.

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, a board-certified gastroenterologist and two-time New York Times bestselling author, explains the sleep and microbiome connection when he joins "The Weight Loss Champion" Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room LIVE.

Topics Discussed
- How does sleep impact gut microbiome differently than diet?
- How does working overnight effect gut health?
- What foods help you sleep?
- What foods keep you awake?
- How do coffee and caffeine affect gut health?
- And more!
Have a question? Post it in the comments or chat, and we’ll answer as many as possible when we open The Doctor's Mailbag during the show.
🔗 SHOW LINKS 🔗
Sleep Microbiome Study
bit.ly/SleepGutMicroStudy
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz
Website: theplantfedgut.com
Fiber Fueled Cookbook: amzn.to/34y6GQP
Instagram: / theguthealthmd
🗓️UPCOMING EVENTS🗓️
Exam Room LIVE with the Esselstyn Family
Tickets: bit.ly/ERLiveinDC23
Who: Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn with Ann, Rip, and Jane. Plus, Dr. Neal Barnard and Chuck Carroll
When: Nov. 7, 2023
Where: National Press Club in Washington, DC
📱FOLLOW US📱
The Exam Room Podcast
Instagram: / theexamroompodcast
Apple: apple.co/2JXBkpy​​
Spotify: spoti.fi/2pMLoY3
Chuck Carroll
Instagram: / chuckcarrollwlc
Facebook: / chuckcarrollwlc
Physicians Committee
Instagram: / physicianscommittee
Facebook: / pcrm.org
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About Us
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 12,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

[@AnnMitt]

I worked the midnight shift at a hospital for 18 months. That shift nearly wrecked my health. Took me years to recover once finally moved to the afternoon shift. Kudos to all the midnight shift workers. Much respect. 🙌🙌🙌

[@laurastephenson2516]

I worked at night for almost 4 years. After about 6 months. I put black tarp on my windows. This fooled my body into thinking it was night. I went to bed around noon, and got up around 8. My sleep was great. I recommend this to anyone who works at night. It will save your health

[@sharon-qc3gn]

I worked the overnight midnight shift for 13 years..(I think about that now and smh) but I was young, in my 20’s when I started. I went up to 205 pounds, terrible diet. Had to trick my body into sleeping at a certain time in a dark room etc. That shift work is not good at all

[@joepedroza4707]

I believe what he is saying. Good sleep basically reboots your gut and the rest of your body.

[@ritacampbell3833]

Yes! Sleep is a bigger thing than most people usually believe.

[@lindaelarde2692]

Daylight Saving Time...good evidence to end that madness!

[@robertjacobs861]

I live in Mountain Time but spend 6 months of the year on Eastern time caring for my elderly mother. It probably takes me 10-14 days to adjust to the two hour time difference and fatigue from the airline flight. That seems like an exceptionally long time to me. Readjusting from Eastern to Mountain time isn’t as bad. I’ve been trying to keep my bedtime and wake time consistent which helps a lot once I adjust to the time change. Thanks for suggesting cherry juice. I will try it. Louise J

[@Amshatelia88]

Tiktok needs more knowledgeable doctors like Doctor B!

[@liliandietrich9962]

If you need to look at a screen in the evening you can use blue light blocking glasses. The ones i use are orange and they helped me to feel a lot sleepier in the evenings

[@devonbrooks6758]

Thanks for bringing this information to us.

[@CathrinCatherine]

Listened to this on Spotify till the end: what can I say? Signing up for Dr. B’s newsletter now and stoked about it! Great episode, dear Chuck and PCRM!

[@LeniSpooner]

Poor sleep I have a huge desire for black coffee ( now Dr B’s spiced coffee with inulin and sometimes dried mushroom powder blend). I go for my BF oatmeal..but crave heavy in sweet fruit and nuts/seeds). I don’t normally eat after 7-8 pm, but on busy weekends with my partner…often have late dinner..9 pm or so. Since he isn’t plant based at all and likes to eat out, I’ll end up eating a pasta marinara or a faux meat like beyond burger or plant based meatballs with whatever veggies I can get. Avoiding oil eating out is a challenge. Those late evening dinners or any later evening and more calorie dense dinners wrecks my sleep. Lucky to get 3 or 4 hours. Relationships & social interactions are wonderful and necessary - but they can really complicate staying on track with healthy eating & sleep!! 😅

[@developingthehabit]

Thanks for sharing! ❤

[@toilpainter]

Dr B! You lucky man! I’ve suffered from insomnia since birth and I’ll be 60 next Spring. I’m lucky to get 6 hours of sleep a night in best of times. Fortunately I’m not a trucker anymore so my sleep has gotten better. Fantastic video

[@ASMRyouVEGANyet]

Since birth?

[@soumyaranjan6641]

Nice

[@celiaconvento8436]

I'm desame I have to take amitriptiline tablets to get sleep I have fibromayalgia and type 2 diabetes really hard to get sleep

[@dorothyedwards7225]

Yeah my sleep is not consistent. I'm watching this in the evening. Earlier I was watching tv, fell asleep, then woke up to watch this. It's 10:20pm EDT

[@dorothyedwards7225]

Oh man! I'm sorry I didn't catch this live. Yeah, I ate a deprived diet. I worked overnight previously. I would do Starbucks frappuccino, cookies, rice krispie treats. Years b4 that I was working 2 jobs & one of them was linked to a bakery. So I wud have coffee & pastry. Next to the best part of eating it, it was free!

[@lindaripp5902]

Thanks y'all.

[@vaibhavjha8677]

I m just in love with this doctor 💊 Doc trust me u saved my life

[@theplantpowercoach8115]

Hey Dr B!! You don’t have to take calls at 8pm to chat to Australia!! Make your Aussies take an earlier call… during your summer our winter, EST 6pm is AEST 8am! Easy. And if you’re in time zones further west, then even better. And Chuck, it’d be awesome if your podcasts were done later so we Aussies could join in live!! Hehe… just asking 😂

[@ASMRyouVEGANyet]

Agree completely. When I worked nights at Amazon, my stomach was out of control.. it was awful.

[@sharon-qc3gn]

I would not drink 8 once of tart cherry juice b4 bed. I drink an ounce (shot glass size) b4 sleep and upon awake. Tart cherry juice is good for sleep AND joint pain.. and you don’t need a-lot ( after all it has natural sugar) buy tart cherry, not ocean spray or any juice that has added (not natural) sugar. I get mine from Trader Joe’s.

[@Inismoon]

My two favorite people. 🥰

[@inawertzberger2580]

Apple Watch. I examine sleep data daily. Use blue block glasses in the evening and a Happy Light, and outdoor walk in the early AM. Still at my age, despite very good health and habits, fully plant, work out daily, good sleep, long sleep is dear. Curious about Dr. B’s info on heart rate variability during sleep. What exactly is the optimal range? Thank you Chuck and Dr. B for another interesting, informative, motivating session.

[@107judy]

I wonder about the wearables interfering with sleep.

[@inawertzberger2580]

@@107judy Judy, put in airplane mode, turn off sound, hit the theater mode to dim. Will still record sleep data.

[@Derzou]

When I sleep 3 hours, the next day, I eat processed food, such frozen pizza with tons of gluten, sugar (in the crust), lactose from the cheese, histamine from the cheese, dextrose, MODIFIED FOOD Starch, I poison myself 😢

[@SunFlower-io8xb]

Fitbit. Never thought of it as Social Jet lag!, when I go to my son’s house who is a hour earlier than me, really effects me😬

[@SandravanEden]

Hi Dr B from beautiful Aotearoa New Zealand. I see you wear glasses so just wondering if you've tried blue light filters in your lenses? They worked for me, allowing me to get straight to sleep when I was having late meetings (with Adelaide Australia) some years ago.

[@107judy]

Dr B recommends cherries or tart cherry juice to help with melatonin before bed. What about his recommendation to avoid eating/drinking beverages within a 3 hour window of bedtime? Also can’t do the cherries if following low FODMAP. All this deserves a mention.

[@annemccarron2281]

No plan is perfect. The sugar can also cause elevated blood sugar and then a crash that could wake you up.

[@NiranjanBendre]

How to redevelop gut bacteria after a course of antibiotics (had to take it for acute sinusitis)?

[@shaidajeena6804]

Dear doc i am from south africa i want to know if anti depression meds help with the gut or harm the gut long term and sleeping tablets

[@PrateekShettyKN]

Cherries are high fodmap. People with SIBO (IBS AND IBD) likely can't tolerate this. Any other foods to help fall asleep?

[@kathleenmckeehan2766]

Watching from India and I watch the program very often and love you all.

[@gilliandunne6401]

I haven't been able to catch a live show in a while, but would love if on a future show Dr. B or another doctor could offer any insight into whether drinking too much non-alcoholic or dealcoholized beer or other non-alcoholic or dealcoholized drinks is detrimental (I think non-alcoholic and dealcoholized are two different processes, but not sure). It has to be healthier than drinking the alcoholic versions, but are there still concerns? Similar question re: flavored sparkling waters, i.e. assume they are far better than soda, and worse than straight water, is that accurate and what are the issues?

[@paulamoors]

It’s kind of a vicious circle. If you eat well you sleep better and if you don’t eat sensibly your sleeping suffers; in my opinion.

[@dorothyedwards7225]

I don't have a wristband tracker. I want to get for me & my son whenever I can afford it. I use my phone app Samsung Health. I track my sleep, diet, & fitness. I used to keep the phone on & next to me, so it cud track my sleep close to when I fell asleep. But now I shut off my phone so it can get rest too. So I have to estimate some what time I fell asleep. 😒🤷‍♀️💤🤔😑

[@laurensargent9471]

I have Apple watch. I don’t know that I get sleep recovery data. Can I add a whoop (dk how to spell or what that is).

[@attheranch4876]

So what happens to those of us with Irregular Sleep Wake Disorder? It can’t be controlled.

[@ASMRyouVEGANyet]

This is what i want to know

[@lindaelarde2692]

My device has a metric called "stress"...which is a substitute for HRV

[@elephantintheroom5678]

As an insomniac and night owl I want to know if changing one's microbiome in some other way can actually stop insomnia. Has research been done on this?

[@tejaswinis6497]

1) Keep your room pitch dark at night 2) expose to sunlight in morning 3) no caffeine post 3 pm 4) eat 2-3 hrs before dinner and walk for 30 mins post dinner 5) eat a healthy balanced whole food plant based diet, especially magnesium rich foods and tryptophan rich foods all these will help. there are no magics

[@elephantintheroom5678]

@@tejaswinis6497 I already do all these things.

[@ASMRyouVEGANyet]

Probably not

[@lindaelarde2692]

Doesn't cherry juice have a lot of sugar without the fiber to slow absorption? I drink camomile tea to enhance sleep....is that benefit a myth?

[@me-lg1yw]

When doctor recommends fermented foods, is he including Greek yogurt.

[@brodierohde8233]

what about the thyroid????

[@lyndeelou2]

Fitbit

[@SpicyPintoBean]

Galaxy 5

[@skippy6462]

Samsung galaxy 4 but not as accurate as fitbit 2.

[@nickietadgell8835]

Fitbit.

[@tinac8706]

Whoop

[@stacysoliday7396]

Samsung galaxy watch

[@beee___]

* cries in new mom *

[@maureenkubisz]

Apple watch

[@kvsurdas]

"റം" എന്തിയെ? അതിന്റെ വെടി തീർന്നോ? 😂😂😂

[@gwensmith6]

People worked jobs because they earn a living get real..Night shift oats more money.

[@danh5637]

Zoe’s data is horribly flawed as it’s people who self select to improve their health.

[@mitalenfai]

i say, it depends on what we are smoking. 🌱🟢

[@jannn7454]

Apple watch