Wellness Journal | Risachi Health

The Second Brain and Sleep

Your gut contains over 500 million neurons, produces more neurotransmitters than your brain, and hosts trillions of bacteria that directly influence how well you sleep. This is the gut-brain axis — and ignoring it may be the reason your sleep supplements aren't working.

The Serotonin Surprise

Approximately 90-95% of your body's serotonin is produced in the gut, not the brain. Because serotonin is the precursor to melatonin, without adequate gut serotonin production, your body cannot produce enough melatonin to initiate and maintain sleep.

The production chain:

**Tryptophan** (from dietary protein) → arrives in the gut

**Gut bacteria** convert tryptophan to **5-HTP**

**5-HTP** is converted to **serotonin** (5-HT) by enterochromaffin cells

**Serotonin** travels via the vagus nerve and is converted to **melatonin** in the pineal gland

Disruption at any point in this chain compromises your entire sleep cascade.

The Microbiome Composition Matters

Research published in *PLOS ONE* identified specific bacterial strains that correlate with sleep quality:

Sleep-promoting bacteria:

*Lactobacillus rhamnosus* — Increases GABA production

*Bifidobacterium longum* — Reduces cortisol and anxiety

*Lactobacillus helveticus* — Improves sleep quality scores by 20%

*Bacteroides fragilis* — Modulates circadian gene expression

Sleep-disrupting bacteria (in excess):

*Clostridium* species — Produce excitatory neurotransmitters

*Desulfovibrio* — Linked to gut inflammation and fragmented sleep

*Klebsiella* — Associated with elevated nighttime cortisol

Inflammation: The Gut-Sleep Destroyer

When the gut microbiome is imbalanced (dysbiosis), the intestinal barrier can become permeable. This allows bacterial endotoxins to enter the bloodstream, triggering systemic inflammation.

The inflammation-sleep cycle:

**Leaky gut** → LPS enters bloodstream

**Immune activation** → Pro-inflammatory cytokines released

**Sleep disruption** → Cytokines fragment slow-wave sleep

**Impaired gut repair** → Sleep deprivation further damages gut barrier

**Worsening dysbiosis** → Cycle intensifies

Practical Steps for Gut-Supported Sleep

1. Feed Your Sleep Bacteria

Garlic, onions, leeks (fructooligosaccharides)

Asparagus, bananas, oats (inulin)

Flaxseed, chia seeds (short-chain fatty acids)

Fermented foods (kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut)

2. The Fiber-Sleep Connection

A Columbia University study found that participants eating 26g+ fiber daily had 22% more deep sleep. The effect was visible after just one day of dietary change.

3. Timing Matters

**Stop eating 3 hours before bed** — Allows gut to enter repair mode

**Eat your largest meal midday** — When digestive enzymes peak

**Morning probiotics** — Better colonization on a slightly acidic stomach

4. Tart Cherry: The Bridge Compound

Tart cherry — a key ingredient in the Risachi Sleep Collection — bridges gut health and sleep:

Contains natural melatonin (13ng/g in Montmorency varieties)

Rich in polyphenols that feed beneficial gut bacteria

Anthocyanins reduce gut inflammation

Demonstrated to increase sleep time by 84 minutes in clinical trials

The CBN-Gut Connection

Cannabinoids also interact with the gut. CB2 receptors are densely expressed throughout the gastrointestinal tract, and CBN has demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects on intestinal cells.

When the Risachi Sleep Collection delivers CBN and CBG alongside tart cherry, it supports the gut environment that makes quality sleep possible.

Action Steps

**Add one fermented food daily** to support sleep-promoting bacteria

**Increase dietary fiber to 25-30g** for deeper slow-wave sleep

**Implement a 3-hour pre-bed eating cutoff** to support gut repair

**Support the gut-sleep axis** with the Risachi Sleep Collection

**Track the connection** — Journal your diet and sleep quality for 2 weeks

Your gut isn't just digesting your dinner — it's deciding how well you sleep tonight.

Your Gut Is Keeping You Awake: The Microbiome-Sleep Connection