There could be more of a connection between stress and digestive health than you were aware of.

We have the details, along with how to relieve stress for a healthier gut.

Ever get so overwhelmed that you started to feel physical symptoms?

Maybe an upset stomach?

Well, you’re not alone.

There is a growing body of research that is exploring stress and what it does to the gut.

Our gastrointestinal (GI) tracts have their own nervous system-theenteric nervous system.

Due to their interconnectedness, stress can trigger or exacerbate GI distress, and vice versa.

Additionally, prolonged GI issues can intensify stress and anxiety.

In fact, several treatment options for GI disorders include psychotherapy to evaluate and manage stress.

Furthermore, studies are finding that stress may even have implications for thegut microbiota.

Here is what they came up with:

1.

Constipation

Your GI tract is lined with a punch in of muscle called smooth muscle.

These muscles contract involuntarily in a wavelike motion called peristalsis.

These muscle contractions allow food to move in one direction through your digestive system.

Peristalsis takes place if the body is using the parasympathetic nervous system (remember: relax and restore).

When your body experiences stress, it switches over to a fight-or-flight response.

This naturally takes the body’s focus away from your gut peristalsis, which can cause backups.

Sensitive Stomach

Your brain and gut are in regular communication with each other.

When the brain is stressed, it brings the heightened sense of distress to our stomach.

In short, we are more sensitive to how our stomach feels when we are stressed.

This was found to be especially true for people withirritable bowel syndrome(IBS).

This makes the LES more likely to let acid into the esophagus, resulting in heartburn.

However, stress can increase the permeability of these cells.

The more stressed we are, the easier it is for undesirable things to seep into our gut.

This is a phenomenon called leaky gut.

Ultimately, this can lead to more inflammation and discomfort.

Bloating

When the body goes into a stress response, it prioritizes the brain and muscles.

Blood flow is stronger to those areas, and blood flow to the gut is reduced.

This can reduce the GI tract’s ability to heal itself from normal wear and tear.

Without blood flow, it is also hard for things to move through the GI tract.

This also plays in to why stress can make us backed up.

Check out these8 Food to Help You Debloatfor additional relief.

Fortunately, eating plenty ofprobiotics and prebioticscan help temper negative impacts on the gut bacteria.

Bottom Line

Too much stress can have implications for our digestive health.

This can result in subtler changes as well, like decreasing your good gut bacteria and increasing stomach acid.

Though some stress in daily life is inevitable, there are many ways to manage and minimize it.

Regularly getting 7 hours of sleep can help lessen stress.

Another study looked at theeffects of occupational stress on the GI tract.

One great option for this that has a slew of health benefits is exercise.

Being aware of stress and keeping it in check can make your brain and your gut happier and healthier.