You have approximately one hundred trillion bacteria, fungi and viruses, collectively known as microbes, living on your hair, skin and inside of your intestines.

Together this happy community is called your microbiome.

A healthy microbiome helps you digest food, process nutrients and trains your immune system to work properly.

But these microbes also have a mind of their own.

Your microbiome can affect your mood, stress levels and even your sleep.

When you have a bad night's sleep your body doesn't properly stop the production of cortisol, the stress hormone.

And a higher level of stress hormones messes with the composition, diversity and number of microbes in your gut.

Having a diverse community of microbes means a healthy microbiome.

But stress hormones mean the community becomes less diverse and as a result, we see more bad bacteria lurking around.

Your microbiome is also intertwined with your sleep/wake cycle, so poor sleep is linked to changes in your metabolism.

Disrupting your body's internal clock can lead to cravings for unhealthy food.

And then eating unhealthy food messes with your appetite.

In one study, mice were fed a high-fat diet and the activity of their microbes changed.

The microbes signaled to eat more frequently.

The mice started eating at the wrong times, think having multiple lunches and a midnight snack, and they became obese.

Other mice, who were fed a high-fibre, low-fat diet, stayed lean.

And some researchers even think the bacteria in your gut are responsible for the calories you burn while you're asleep.

So you probably want to make sure you keep those guys happy.

Of course, a healthy sleep cycle and a high-fibre, low-fat diet will make your microbiome smile.

When you think about it, you can somewhat control your microbiome, by the food you eat, the medicines you take and even how you sleep.

But your microbiome can also control you, by affecting your digestive and mental health, your mood and even your immune system.

It's definitely a dynamic relationship!

But understanding that this relationship exists is really important because you can act and take improving your health into your own hands.

Good night.