Irregular sleep linked to gut bacteria

Researchers at King’s College London have reported links between irregular sleep patterns and changes in the gut microbiome. The study focused on “social jet lag,” where people shift their sleep timing between workdays and free days. Even a 90‑minute difference in the midpoint of sleep was associated with a microbiome profile that other studies have connected to poorer health, and the team also found associations with diet quality, eating habits and inflammation.

These results are associations, not proof that sleep irregularity directly causes harmful gut bacteria. The researchers suggest several possible explanations: inconsistent sleep may alter when and what people eat, raise inflammatory signals, or disrupt circadian hormones that shape the gut environment. The paper concludes that keeping a more consistent sleep schedule could help support gut health, but further studies are needed to test cause and effect.

Who did it? And what's their angle?

Every conspiracy theory pins one culprit and one motive on the same story. The same story can spawn any number of theories — different culprits, different motives. That's part of how you spot a conspiracy theory: the same event can be "explained" any number of ways.

You'll walk through the four moves on separate screens, with a debunk on every step.