In our previous blog, we discussed how disturbances in our circadian rhythm can lead to acid reflux. Today, we are going to discuss how our erratic sleep & work schedules can increase our risk of attracting gastrointestinal disorders such as colon cancer & irritable bowel syndrome.
As discussed earlier besides sleep, there are host of other circadian factors that can impact your body’s biological clock.
Gastrointestinal disorders such as GERD is caused by both sleep & circadian factors which makes nocturnal reflux( occuring at night) different from diurnal reflux( during the day). Sleep state influences esophageal reflux dy diminishing natural defenses against reflux events. As shared in our last blog, reflux occurring at night is less frequent compared to those occurring during wakefulness but has longer contact times due to reduced esophageal clearance. This reduced clearance & increased potential for mucosal damage occurs due to sleep factors of diminished saliva production, decreased swallowing rate, decreased LES pressure and circadian-dependent factors, including increased gastric acid production and delayed gastric emptying.
The stomach function
The major role of the stomach includes acidification of ingested food & controlling the flow of food bolus into duodenum. Acid secretion controls the introduction of new organisms in the digestive tract. The controlled flow of food to the small intestine aids in nutrient absorption. Sleep & circadian rhythm influences acid secretion & gastric motor activity. Acid secretion is highly variable during night & peaks in circadian fashion between 10 pm & 2 am. Our central nervous system (which obviously talks to ENS of our gut) influences acid secretion through circadian rhythm & sleep mechanisms.
People suffering from duodenal ulcers depict overproduction of acid throughout day & night. The loss of acid-secretion rhythm is due to ulcer formation. This all has been linked to gut dysbiosis & due to Helicobacter pylori bacteria living in our gut. This bacteria causes reduction on somatostatin levels thereby leading to overproduction of stomach acid without a circadian pattern. Antibiotics do more harm than treating such ulcers. You need to bring your gut composition into balance through dietary intervention to eradicate this ulcer (overproduction of stomach acid).
Melatonin, a sleep hormone, released in response to a dark environment by some gut cells in circadian fashion. This keeps our biological clock synchronised. Melatonin inhibits gastric acid release & increases gastric blood flow. The below table explains role of Melatonin in GI disorders.
The motor control of the stomach is divided by region & type of food bolus.The fundus of the stomach controls liquid food, while the antrum controls solids. Gastric contents must flow into the duodenum for further digestion. Gastric motor function is controlled by the innate gastric pacemaker.
Small intestine is responsible for absorption of nutrients & movement of food bolus towards colon while the human colon( large intestine) has two major functions: absorption of water & temporary containment of intestinal material. Dysfunction of sleep-wake cycle & circadian clock of small & large intestine has been implicated in occurrence of Irritable Bowel Disease. This disorder occurs due to a blend of symptoms including constipation & diarrhea( alternating) that impacts around 23% of western population. The gut brain axis including emotional & cognitive factors are the reasons behind this situation. Issue of IBS has also been explained by our sleep state & irregular sleep patterns.
Inflammatory bowel disease is the result of chronic inflammation of the small or large intestine, and is identified with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. IBD may be affected by sleep and circadian rhythms through complex immune-mediated pathways, since both sleep and circadian rhythm play a role in the regulation of immune function. The immune system of the gut is under circadian regulation, and inflammatory mediators have been found to suppress clock gene expression.
Both Sleep and the circadian rhythm are linked to the optimum functioning of the digestive system & disturbances in sleep & food patterns can lead to gut dysbiosis leading to IBS or even colon cancer. If you suffer from bloating, constipation or diarrhea quite frequently & have a trend of sleeping late & consuming food at inconsistent times & irregular intervals, probably your circadian rhythm- gut dysbiosis connection may be reason for increased risk of attracting gastrointestinal disorders! Sign up for our free discovery call here to learn more.
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