Researchers from the Department of Child Rehabilitation, China, have found significant differences in the gut microbiota of children who go to bed early compared to those who stay up late. The study revealed that children with earlier bedtimes had greater microbial diversity in their gut flora.
Beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia muciniphila were more abundant in the early sleepers. These bacteria are associated with maintaining gut health and have been linked to healthy cognitive functions.
Previous studies have shown that adequate sleep improves academic performance, physical growth and is associated with healthier BMI levels. The current study investigated the relationship between children’s sleep patterns and their gut microbiota. In a paper, “Characteristics of gut flora in children who go to bed early versus late,” published in Scientific Reports, researchers analyzed the genomics of fecal samples from 88 healthy children aged 2 to 14 years.
The children were split into two groups based on their bedtimes: those who slept before 9:30 p.m. and those who slept after. Over two weeks, sleep diaries recorded factors such as time at falling asleep, night awakenings, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality.
Genomic analysis found that children who went to bed early had a higher abundance of certain beneficial gut bacteria. Specifically, Akkermansia muciniphila was significantly more prevalent in the early bedtime group.
Other elevated bacteria among early sleepers included Holdemania filiformis, Firmicutes bacterium CAG-95, Streptococcus sp. A12, Weissella confusa, Clostridium sp. CAG-253, Alistipes finegoldii, and Eubacterium siraeum. Additionally, levels of CAG-83 fungi were higher in the early bedtime group.
Correlation without causation
The finding could be correlating sleep patterns to microbiome outcomes or the inverse, where the microbiome influences sleep patterns. While the study focused on the first scenario, the children’s sleep schedules were their own regular, habitual bedtimes without any intervention from the researchers.
These correlations have great potential to be followed up in multiple directions to determine the causal mechanisms behind the sleep-gut-cognitive connection.
More information:
Chunmei Mao et al, Characteristics of gut flora in children who go to bed early versus late, Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-75006-y
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Study links children’s bedtimes to gut health, finds early sleepers have greater microbial diversity in gut flora (2024, October 13)
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