We're learning more and more about how parts of our bodies are linked and working together – and now a new study reveals connections between gut bacteria and the risk of insomnia.
The research, from scientists in China and the US, suggests that being unable to sleep at night could be at least partly down to the mix of microbes in our digestive system.
What's more, the relationship appears to go both ways: poor sleep can disrupt the gut's microbial balance, creating a feedback loop that could make insomnia harder to shake. With further investigation, we may be able to develop treatments based on these findings.
"Changes in the composition and function of the gut microbiota are commonly noted in patients with insomnia," write the researchers in their published paper.
"However, th