Anxiety is something we all know about. It’s that feeling you get before a big presentation, your heart racing during a tough conversation, or that constant worry that never seems to go away. Most of the time, we think of anxiety as something that happens in our heads and makes us feel bad emotionally. But did you know that it can also mess with your body, especially your stomach?
Well, there are many causes for this including stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, which can do a number on your digestive system. When you face a scary situation, these are two of the hormones that kick into action and help you to react quickly. They can also cause trouble for your stomach when they are elevated for long periods of time.
Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone,” gets you ready for the challenge. It makes sure you have enough energy to respond to threats. It also calms down inflammation and sharpens your thinking.
Adrenaline on the other hand, is the first responder. When you suddenly face danger, it makes your heart race, helps you breathe better, and focuses your attention. It’s quick, but only sticks around as long as the danger does. So, cortisol and adrenaline work together to get you ready for action. These two hormones play an important role in what’s called the “fight or flight” response.
Over the years I have talked a lot about “fight or flight,” also known as an acute stress response. This is because it helps you understand how anxiety causes so many problems inside of your mind and body. When you truly understand the fight or flight response, you can reduce much of the fear linked to your physical symptoms, including stomach issues.
Now, let’s take a closer look.
When something stressful happens, your body goes into “fight or flight.” The fight or flight response is how our body reacts when we feel scared or threatened. It’s a natural alarm system controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, and its job is to get us ready to face danger.
One important thing it does, is move blood away from things our bodies don’t need right away, like digestion. Instead, it sends more blood to our muscles and brain. Our muscles get extra oxygen and nutrients so we can move quickly, and our brain gets more blood to help us think and make quick decisions.
As this is all happening, stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, get released and that’s when your digestive system can start having problems. Having high levels of stress and anxiety overtime can cause regular spikes of these two hormones which can lead to stomach aches, heartburn, diarrhea, and even Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Research suggests that many people with IBS also have anxiety and depression. Therefore, identifying and treating anxiety and depression alongside IBS can lead to better quality of life and overall health outcomes for individuals dealing with this condition.
What’s happening here? Well, there’s a special connection between your brain and your stomach called the gut-brain axis. This means that what’s happening in your head can affect your stomach, and what’s happening in your stomach can affect your head. Stress can mess up this balance and can either cause or make your stomach problems worse.
You might feel those “butterflies in your stomach” or even have to run to the bathroom more often because of this stress related response. If you already have IBS for example, stress and anxiety can make it act up even more.
There is, of course, much more going on in the body that causes these types of issues. This is an oversimplified way of saying that stress and anxiety can impact your body and your digestive system in particular.
Keeping Your Stomach Happy Despite Anxiety
There are things you can do to help your stomach stay happy, even when stress and anxiety come knocking:
1. Try things like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga to chill out when stress shows up.
2. Regular exercise can help reduce stress and keep your digestion on track.
3. A balanced diet with plenty of fiber, fruits, veggies, and probiotics can keep your stomach in good shape.
4. Drinking enough water is essential for good digestion.
5. If your stomach troubles from stress and anxiety won’t go away, talk to a doctor. They can give you advice and support.
Remember that your mind and your stomach are connected. By taking care of your stress and looking after your stomach, you can feel better overall, even when life gets overwhelming. A happy stomach means a happier you!
My son, who is in year 12, has anxiety and depression, and with exams looming, the first thing he’s been noticing is how his digestive system is changing. He has to have very small meals (and he’s usually a really good eater), eat quite slowly and have food that isn’t spicy otherwise he feels sick. A couple of days he’s felt nauseous and just ‘off’. So I’m trying to keep his diet gut healthy. Anxiety can have such an impact on not just your mental health but physical health too. Thank you Paul for such an informative article. It’s a really good reminder as to why it’s important to eat healthily and to keep your stress levels in check.