Defiant Health Radio with Dr. William Davis

Yogurt That's Not Yogurt: My Accidental Sleep Cure

Aug 29, 2025
Explore the intriguing link between gut health and sleep quality. Discover how the gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in determining your ability to rest, particularly focusing on the impact of endotoxemia. Hear personal stories of insomnia struggles and the surprising benefits of fermented foods. An innovative alternative resembling yogurt is introduced as a potential game-changer for enhancing sleep patterns. This accessible approach could be the key to transforming your nights into restful experiences.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Chronic Insomnia Reversed By Microbiome Experiment

  • William Davis struggled with chronic insomnia for decades and tried many supplements and techniques without lasting success.
  • After experimenting with microbiome approaches he began sleeping 7.5–8 hours with vivid dreams.
INSIGHT

Gut Microbiome Shapes Sleep Quality

  • The gut microbiome exerts a major influence on brain-controlled sleep phases, duration, and dream content.
  • Altering gut microbes can therefore change whether you get restorative, uninterrupted sleep.
INSIGHT

Wearables Suggest REM Lengthening

  • Actigraphic devices (Oura, Fitbit) approximate sleep phases indirectly using heart rate and motion and are roughly 80–90% accurate.
  • Users report increased REM duration (~25%) after restoring certain microbes, suggesting measurable sleep changes.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app