Sleep: An Overlooked Lifestyle Factor in Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction

Abstract

This review outlines the relationship between sleep and the GI tract in health, before appraising the association between sleep and the GI tract in disease, namely disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI). We aim to explore whether sleep disturbance exacerbates DGBI symptoms or vice versa, and summarise the evidence for pharmacological and psychological treatment options. Sleep disorders are more common in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared to healthy subjects, with a pooled prevalence of 37.6%. Sufficient evidence exists to support the use of melatonin to ameliorate overall IBS symptom severity and improve quality of life. DGBIs are stress-sensitive disorders and simple lifestyle advice is recognised as first-line management. Sleep, a cornerstone of lifestyle management, appears to be the forgotten factor. Sleep disturbance (both duration and quality) has been associated with DGBI, namely IBS; however, further studies are required to determine whether treatment options targeted at sleep can lead to GI symptom improvement.