Stress can affect your digestive system as the brain and gut are connected and constantly in communication. The gut is partly controlled by the central nervous system in the brain and spinal cord, and it also has its own network of neurons in the lining of the gastrointestinal system. The enteric nervous system regulates digestive processes like swallowing, enzyme release, and food categorisation.
What Happens When Your Body Is Stressed?
Stress triggers the sympathetic nervous system, which releases the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone prepares your body to face the threat. Stress can cause physiological changes in your body, such as a heightened state of awareness, faster breathing, elevated blood pressure, and an increase in muscle tension. It can also affect your digestive system by causing spasms in your oesophagus, indigestion, nausea, diarrhoea, or constipation.
Stress can also worsen gastrointestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), peptic ulcers, and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Therefore, it’s essential to control stressful situations and find ways to keep yourself calm.
Ways to Manage Stress
To manage stress, there are psychological and physical approaches.
Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to relieve tension and stimulate the release of endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. Exercise can also improve sleep and alleviate stress. Low-intensity physical activity has greater benefits for anxiety than being sedentary.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been proven to help reduce anxiety and stress in those with IBD and IBS. People with IBD who received CBT reported higher quality of life and lower levels of depression and anxiety. CBT leads to a sustained improvement in IBS symptoms for up to 24 months.
Yoga
Yoga is a form of mind-body practice that involves physical poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. Women who participated in an hour-long hatha yoga class three times a week for 12 sessions experienced significant reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, research indicates that practising yoga can help reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Yoga can be a helpful intervention for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improving quality of life in those with IBD.
What Are the Possible Digestive Symptoms That We May Experience?
Fewer digestive secretions may be produced by our body, which can cause increased wind, bloating, and nausea. There can be an increase in stomach acid levels, which may lead to acid reflux, pain, and inflammation. Digestive contractions can either increase or decrease, leading to symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, or spasms.
These symptoms can also weaken our immunity (as at least 70% of our immune cells are present in our gut), making us more vulnerable to infections and other negative effects on our mood.
The Brain in the Gut or Enteric Nervous System
It is important to mention the significant connection between the gut and the brain. We have all experienced “gut feelings” or “butterflies” in certain situations. This is believed to be due to the enteric nervous system (ENS), also known as the “brain in the gut,” which links digestive function to mood and vice versa.
The ENS is made up of two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining the gastrointestinal tract from the oesophagus to the rectum. A network of nerves runs directly from our brain to our digestive system, and communication occurs in both directions between the two.
Did You Know?
Here’s an interesting fact: 95 per cent of the body’s serotonin, a hormone that helps regulate mood, sleep, and appetite, is actually found in the digestive system, not the brain.
Can Stress Have a Long-Term Impact on Your Digestive Health?
Chronic stress can alter the gut microbiome, promoting the development of metabolic syndrome and digestive diseases such as GERD, PUD, and IBS. Studies link IBS with higher rates of mental illness and a history of physical or sexual abuse. Whether it’s a major trauma or minor stress, it’s important to take care of both your brain and gut.
Diagnosing and Treating Stress-Related Symptoms
Digestive distress is complex to treat due to the interplay between the psychological underpinnings of stress and medical disorders. Medical treatments are often combined with psychological treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy, hypnosis, or anti-anxiety medications.
Consult a doctor to rule out serious diseases such as infection, inflammatory bowel disease, or colorectal cancer before assuming your symptoms are stress-related.
Can Stress Weaken Your Digestive Metabolism?
Stress can reduce blood flow to your body and slow down metabolism. Eating too fast or in a negative emotional state can worsen this. Cortisol and insulin hormones, released during stress, store weight and fat, and don’t build muscle. To combat this, take deep breaths and slow down while eating.
Are You Experiencing Digestive Issues Due to Stress or Anxiety?
Our team of gastrointestinal health experts can help. With years of experience in understanding the connection between stress and digestive health, we will diagnose your symptoms and develop a personalised treatment plan to get you back on the road to good health. Don’t let digestive problems hold you back – let us help you manage your digestion for better health!
