Does Stress Cause Digestive Problems?

by Ahsan Hashmi Writer

Does Stress Cause Digestive Problems?

You may often feel nervousness, butterflies in your stomach, and anxiety because of an upcoming interview or trying something for the very first time. In these situations, we need to understand that the brain and digestive system are directly related to a human being. So when we get stressed, our stomach is affected accordingly.

Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system that saves the body against danger by saving actions unnecessary for survival, including digestion. The emptying of the stomach is delayed leading to pain in the stomach with symptoms of nausea. When your stomach functions slow down, the stress level increases the motor function in the large intestine, causing diarrhea. 

Influence of Stress on the Digestive System

Having these digestive symptoms can make you even more stressed out. However, repeated stress often leads to gastrointestinal problems and can worsen existing health problems. It is essential to mention that stress does not cause diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but it can amplify the symptoms. Moreover, the present history of stress may add to some gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

It has been discovered that stress has a direct impact on your digestive system and its functions. The gut is regulated by the central nervous system in the brain and spinal cord. Furthermore, it has a network of neurons lining the gastrointestinal system. The system of nerves in the gut is so significant that some researchers believe the gut is the second brain in the human body.

With its million nerve cells that line up the gastrointestinal tract from your esophagus to your rectum, the nervous system monitors common digestive operations like swallowing, the flow of enzymes to break down food, and the categorization of food as nutrients or waste materials. Stress can greatly affect the way your body controls these digestive processes.

Ways to Manage Stress

There are both psychological and physical ways to handle stress. Following are the options that have proven effective to control stress.

1- Doing Regular Exercise

Physical exercise reduces tension and promotes the release of chemicals in your brain known as endorphins, which are termed as natural painkillers as they enhance sleep and can help in relieving stress. It supports healthy digestion.

2- Shedding Extra Weight 

According to Marham Gastroenterologist eating disorders and obesity both are associated with psychological stress. Cortisol is a hormone that is released by the adrenal glands and helps in increasing the appetite. The physical and emotional distress increases the food intake that is enriched in fat and sugar. But certain foods have been shown to reduce anxiety. Salmon includes omega-3 fatty acids, which are naturally used as mood boosters. Almonds are full of magnesium, a mineral that helps control levels of cortisol. The blood pressure can get lower with the intake of oranges and other citrus fruits containing vitamin C.

3- Meditation

Multiple meditation techniques can help you centralize your mind and its functions, which helps in gaining control of your consciousness and calmness. It may help you to gain better control over your thinking process and mind.  

4- Developing Time-Management Skills

A significant part of reducing stress is self-care. Simply put, this means managing your time and working well without exhausting yourself. For this, you can improve and monitor your time-management skills by knowing your deadlines, planning, setting goals, and avoiding delays. 

5- Make Time for Comforting Actions

Every person has their own way of getting relaxed as what each person finds relaxing is up to them, such as reading a book and hiking. It would help if you found what helps you manage stress and work it into your daily routine. It helps create a cushion from stress.

 

You do not have to stress over things you cannot control and focus on what you can control. It is up to you how you choose to react to stressful situations and better control your stomach problems. When you accept the stomach problems, it will reduce your anxiety and restrain the symptoms. On the other hand, getting worried about your stomach will only worsen your symptoms. 

Moreover, you can seek the assistance of a therapist who specializes in anxiety control as it is too challenging to deal with worry and complicated anxiety on your own. In this case, a cognitive-behavioral therapist will guide you effectively. You must also note that it takes a struggle to reduce stress and its long effects on the stomach. These directions can work if you enforce them accurately and make them a daily preference. But, desiring results on an immediate basis and absence of symptoms will only increase your anxiety and symptoms. That is why accepting some capacity for stomach distress is important. In the end, you need to take a look at your diet. There are specific foods that are known to upset the stomach. So, you must consult a doctor and try the suggested medical treatments. Many stomach disorders can not be fixed by reducing stress only. It would help if you addressed the biological, psychological, and social elements of solving gut-related issues.

It is always better to consult a professional for better guidance. Book an appointment with the best Gastroenterologist through Marham.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Created on May 12th 2022 06:49. Viewed 278 times.

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