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If you have digestive issues, stomach pains, or other similar symptoms and you’ve noticed these issues creep up during the most stressful times of your life, there’s a good reason for this. Stress can cause many physical manifestations, and one of those is poor gut health. (1) The good news is there are steps you can take to change those gut-wrenching conditions. We’ll unpack those and discuss more about how stress affects your gut.
The first thing you should know is that your body reacts to stress. No matter how well you think you keep it under wraps, when you feel stressed, your body takes notice. For starters, stress has physiological responses from your body. You’ve most likely felt your heart start beating faster when you get nervous or angry. Additionally, your blood pressure often rises, the stress hormone cortisol gets released, and your body feels like it’s facing a threat. (2)
So, what does all this have to do with your gut? When your body feels the stress reaction, your esophagus may begin to spasm. That increases the acid in your stomach, causing indigestion and often feelings of nausea. You may experience diarrhea, constipation, and stomach discomfort. (3)
If the stress continues without management, it can lead to more severe problems, like reflux, ulcers, irritable bowel disease, or irritable bowel syndrome. (4) To put it plainly, too much stress can cause issues in the regulation of your GI tract by the gut-brain axis.
Now you know that stress not only causes those tension headaches you keep getting, but it also puts a strain on your gut health. You may think you’re doomed because your life is nothing but constant stress. Don’t worry, we completely understand your plight. Today’s world can be filled with stressful events and circumstances.
Everyone is overwhelmed with work, social engagements, family priorities, and more. Fortunately, many are looking for ways to manage that stress, and there are simple approaches that may work wonders for your health. You can give some, or all of these a try and watch how your body begins to settle down.
We know this is something we mention frequently, but there’s a good reason for it. Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce your stress level. That doesn’t mean you need to join a gym and spend hours on the treadmill. You simply need to get moving. Exercise pumps those all-important endorphins, which are the brain’s happy neurotransmitters. (5)
It provides stress reduction for your body and helps protect it from the effects of too much stress. It’s good for your cardiovascular, digestive, and immune systems, so it’s a win all the way around.
Mental health has often had a negative stigma attached, but thankfully, in recent years, that has begun to change. Your mental health is crucial, and sometimes talking to a friend or a therapist is one of the best things you can do. Talking helps you get your thoughts out and can provide a much-needed outlet.
Therapists can help you develop healthier coping skills and work through past traumas that may affect your current mental health. Working on your stress levels can be a weight off your shoulders and much relief to your gut. (6)
Some people think meditation is too difficult or they don’t have the time to practice. You can begin with five minutes or less each day and it doesn’t need to be perfect. There are free apps and videos online that will walk you through the steps of meditating. This practice can also help your physical health, which relates to gut issues. (7) Many people have found meditation an excellent way to relieve feelings of anxiety and depression.
You know that your diet can affect how you feel, but you may be surprised to learn that it can also increase your stress levels. You may have heard that if you put garbage in, you’ll get garbage out. There is so much truth to this statement. If you eat tons of processed foods and fill your diet with sugary drinks and snacks, you are going to be more stressed. (8) Alternatively, if you clean up your diet and start eating whole foods, with healthy fats, you might melt that stress away, along with a few needed pounds. Remove seed oils like canola, vegetable, and peanut oils that cause inflammation. Use healthy oils, like olive and avocado that don’t cause an inflammatory response.
If you aren’t taking a quality probiotic, you could be missing a valuable piece to this puzzle. Studies show that since the gut and brain are connected, a healthier gut translates to a better mood and improved cognitive function. (9) You have serotonin in your gut, which directly affects your mood. A probiotic can be effective for a healthier gut microbiome, and improve your overall digestion.
Before you think this doesn’t apply to you, consider what you watch after work. Are you glued to social media and the latest news scandal? Are you arguing with someone about politics? By changing the channel you can change the tone of your day. If you spend too much time obsessing over things you cannot change, you’ll find yourself stressed out, anxious, and depressed. Instead, read a good book, view something funny, or catch that documentary you’ve been meaning to watch. You’d be amazed at how much your stress dissolves when you make small changes in what you consume mentally. Your gut will be happier, too.
Sleep loss can affect your gut health and cause inflammation. You also may be aware that when you don’t sleep well, you feel more stressed, and things that might not typically bother you leave you feeling irritated and anxious. (10) To mitigate having increased stress and poor gut health, you need to prioritize better quality sleep. If you’re having trouble sleeping, a natural sleep aid can help without the dangerous side effects that come with prescription drugs.
We explained that stress affects your gut in many ways and leads to some pretty daunting gut health issues if left untreated. We don’t want you to feel like there’s no hope. That’s not the case at all, and there are plenty of ways to control and manage how stress affects your gut. By following the tips in this article, you may find your mood improves, your gut health is better, and your stress has decreased significantly. As always, we want to partner with you on your wellness path. Contact us today to learn how functional medicine looks at the whole picture to help you achieve better health.
References
https://www.jeffersonhealth.org/your-health/living-well/how-stress-affects-your-gut-health
https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/united-states-of-stress/how-stress-affects-digestion/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/probiotics-may-help-boost-mood-and-cognitive-function
