Did you know there is a strong link between the stress levels you experience throughout the day and gut health symptoms like bloating?

Our brains and our gut have a close relationship. They send signals to one another and even help each other to regulate. Experts call this the “gut-brain axis”.

We know that improving gut health can, in turn, lead to lower anxiety levels. Evidence suggests that the bacteria in our gut are closely related to our mental health, and by changing our diet to better balance gut microbiota, we can enjoy better mental health, too.

However, in this article, we’ll explain how this link works in both directions, including why reducing your stress levels can, in turn, have a positive effect on your gut health.

This article is Day 5 of Healthline’s 7-day “Gut Check” Debloating Challenge. Learn more about how to keep your gut healthy and avoid bloating by following the Challenge.

Stress and gut health are very closely linked through a communication network experts call the “gut-brain axis”. If stress levels are high, this system can be disrupted, which can lead to digestive symptoms, like bloating, acid reflux, and changes in bowel movements and frequency.

Medical Perspective

“Emerging research and a growing body of evidence suggest a significant link between stress and gut health. Studies increasingly indicate that poor gut health may negatively influence mental health and contribute to heightened stress level through interactions along the gut-brain axis.”

— Sophie Wallis, ANutr

Quotes represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

“Fight or flight”

If you’re stressed, your body will try to prepare itself for potential dangers. One of the ways it does this is by releasing certain chemicals into your bloodstream, like cortisol and adrenaline.

It focuses less on processes like digestion and instead prepares for risks it perceives may be present due to the stress it is feeling. It puts more energy into your heart rate, breathing, and muscle readiness, which it deems to be a higher priority in that moment.

This can lead to symptoms like:

  • upset stomach
  • nausea
  • changes in bowel movements

Gut movement changes

Stress can change the pace at which your body processes digestion, causing a wide range of symptoms like cramping and bloating.

Usually, your digestive system maintains coordinated muscle movements to keep food moving smoothly through your body.

If it speeds the digestive process up, you might experience diarrhea, while slowing down the digestive system too much could cause constipation. People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may also experience these symptoms, but many people notice gut symptoms during stressful periods.

Gut bacteria

The gut microbiome contains trillions of microbes that are very helpful for digestion, immunity, and inflammation control.

Over the long term, stress can reduce this beneficial bacteria and instead increase the number of microbes that cause inflammation. This is called dysbiosis, and it can worsen gut symptoms, potentially causing:

  • bloating
  • gas
  • food sensitivities

Sensitive gut

Stress can make the nerves in your gut more sensitive, which can lead to pain even during normal digestion. It is not necessarily a sign that anything is structurally wrong, but people might notice:

  • sharper stomach pain
  • bathroom urgency
  • a “nervous stomach”
  • feelings of pressure

If you do experience these symptoms and find they are interfering with your everyday life, it’s worth seeing a doctor. They can investigate the true cause, rule out other conditions, and recommend strategies to help reduce your symptoms.

Weakened gut barrier

Our gut lining is like a filter for our digestive system. It means helpful nutrients are let through into our blood while harmful substances are kept out.

Chronic stress can make this barrier more permeable, which some people call leaky gut syndrome. This means the harmful substances can cross into the blood and potentially cause immune reactions and inflammation. People may experience symptoms like:

  • fatigue
  • bloating
  • food intolerance

Gut Check Challenge: Debloating Tips

There are many ways to reduce your stress, but first, don’t panic.

These reactions are very common, and with the right approach, you may be able to see a big reduction in gut health symptoms caused by stress with just a few tweaks.

If you experience concerning, chronic, or interfering gut symptoms, make sure to see a clinician to discuss testing and medical support.

Explore the following products that can help reduce your stress levels. These roundups only feature products that are tried and tested by our own team at Healthline, and they undergo a vigorous vetting process.

For example, you can read about our 6 best recommendations for stress-reducing vitamins and supplements. Vitamins and supplements include:

  • ashwagandha
  • L-theanine
  • vitamin B
  • vitamin D

Or, you could try CBD oil. Our medically vetted and Healthline-tested CBD oils list what we deemed to be the 8 best products from over 100 we evaluated.

Here are some ways we’d recommend trying for stress relief.

Self-care

“I find that giving time towards self-care is an important and underrated way of boosting heart health, mainly in the form of reducing stress, producing feel-good chemicals in the brain, and promoting relaxation.

“I try to give myself time for hot showers with my favourite products, winding down at the end of the day with candles and lamps, having a good skincare routine, and making sure that I go to bed feeling good, happy, grateful for my bed (haha), clean, and relaxed to the core!

“All of this feeds into other parts of your life too, as self-care promotes self-love, and if you love yourself you will find yourself treating your mind and body well – exercise, nutritious food etc. – it all goes together!”

— Cecilia Bahou, Editor

Quotes represent individual opinions. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Exercise

“My top priority, each day, is to move my body and break a sweat.

“Whether’s it’s running, rock climbing, cycling, weight lifting, or walking, I find that exercising calms me down, reduces stress, helps me sleep, and makes me feel good – both mentally and physically.

“Moving in natural spaces feeds the soul and lifts the heart.”

— Alex Marceau, Editor

Quotes represent individual opinions. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Go analog

“The benefits I’ve found from filling my time with more analog activities are real: my mind is much quieter, I feel less anxious, I feel as though I have actually switched off after work, and I feel more in touch with what I actually want to do with my time. I can thoroughly recommend it.

“My go-to analog items are pretty book-heavy.

“There’s whatever book I’m reading at the moment, whether that’s a chunky nonfiction book or a lighter novel I can whip through quickly, a sketchbook with a set of pencils and charcoals, and a notebook for creative writing.

“I also keep my trusty iPod Classic close by too; music is the main way I switch off and turn my mood around if I’m feeling low or stressed.”

— Lois Zoppi, Editor

Quotes represent individual opinions. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Check out our other articles on stress relief:

Stress can affect how your gut moves, how sensitive it is, and the balance of bacteria it contains. This happens because stress tells your body it is in danger, so your body focuses on other processes to prioritise the risk it perceives.

If you experience stress over a period of time, you might notice gut symptoms like bloating, bowel movement changes, and cramps.

However, in most cases, relatively simple stress relief techniques can improve your gut health symptoms. You can try:

  • regular exercise
  • deep breathing or meditation
  • focusing on sleep quality
  • relaxing before meals
  • eating more mindfully

If you experience chronic digestive issues, you should speak to a doctor to rule out other potential causes.