It also includes the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm your body down after experiencing fight-or-flight. The parasympathetic nervous system also prepares your body for digestion by communicating with the enteric nervous system located in your gastrointestinal tract.
The enteric nervous system is filled with neurons, and is sometimes referred to as a second brain. It uses chemical and hormonal neurotransmitters to communicate back and forth with your brain and the rest of your nervous system.
The enteric nervous system is where most of the body’s serotonin is manufactured. Serotonin helps with digestion by constricting the smooth muscles, which support the movement of food in your colon.
During periods of heightened anxiety, hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and serotonin may be released by the brain. This raises the amount of serotonin in your gut, and causes stomach spasms to occur.
If these spasms happen throughout your entire colon you may get diarrhea. If the spasms are isolated to one area of the colon, digestion may halt, and constipation may result.
The effects that stress hormones have on the body can cause constipation. In addition, when a person is stressed, they are more likely to eat an unhealthful diet, get less exercise or sleep, or forget to stay hydrated. These factors can lead to constipation. According to an article in the journal Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, researchers have identified several ways in which stress can cause constipation:
While researchers have come a long way in discovering links between stress and constipation, there is still more to learn. Research into stress hormones and their effects on the body is ongoing.
Stress and constipation may affect children, as well. In a study of school-aged children, researchers found a link between exposure to stressful life events and constipation.
The researchers found that young people who had experienced life stresses, such as severe illness, a failed exam, or the loss of a caregiver’s job, were more likely to report constipation.
Some of the best ways to relieve constipation include improving the diet, eating plenty of fiber, and staying hydrated. Regular exercise can also help because physical activity encourages motion in the intestines, which helps relieve constipation. These lifestyle measures are also likely to benefit mental health and reduce daily levels of stress.
Alcohol, cigarettes, and foods high in sugar and fat can all increase the risk of constipation and stress. Avoiding or limiting these items may improve both symptoms.
People can use standard constipation treatments for stress-related constipation, including gentle laxatives, stool softeners, or prescription medications. However, these treatments do not address the underlying cause of constipation. Using them for too long could reduce the body’s ability to get rid of stool naturally.
Sometimes, people may benefit from professional therapy to help them identify sources of stress that may lead to constipation. This therapy might be particularly helpful for people with a history of trauma or mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety.
Engaging in daily stress-relieving activities may also help. Examples of these activities include meditation, yoga, journaling, reading a book, and listening to peaceful music.
In addition, it is important to try not to rush or force going to the bathroom. If a person allows time for the need to go to develop, they may feel less stressed about the process.
Stress can lead to constipation in several ways. Stress hormones directly influence bowel movements by affecting bodily processes. In addition, people are more likely to have a poor diet, drink too little water, and get less exercise when stressed, which can cause constipation.
If a person struggles with frequent constipation due to stress, they should talk to a doctor, who will be able to help them find solutions for both the stress and the constipation.
We’ve all experienced that feeling when we’re nervous: an upcoming presentation or first-date jitters gives us butterflies in our stomach. Those “butterflies” show that our brain and digestive system are directly related. When we’re stressed, our stomach is affected too.
“The gut is often referred to as the second brain because it has a nervous system with more neurotransmitters than the brain’s central nervous system,” says Tracey Torosian, Ph. D., a health psychologist who specializes in gastrointestinal health with Henry Ford Health.
“When we’re stressed, our brain activates the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is our flight-or-fight response: it prepares the body to protect itself against imminent danger by conserving functions that aren’t immediately needed for survival. That includes digestion. The emptying of the stomach is delayed, which can lead to a stomachache, indigestion, heartburn and nausea.”
As the stomach is slowing down, stress causes increased motor function in the large intestine. So at the same time that you’re stressed, you might experience bowel urgency or diarrhea.
Unfortunately, this can become a vicious cycle: experiencing these digestive symptoms can make you even more stressed. And repeated stress can lead to gastrointestinal issues—or exacerbate issues that are already there.
We’ve all experienced that feeling when we’re nervous: an upcoming presentation or first-date jitters gives us butterflies in our stomach. Those “butterflies” show that our brain and digestive system are directly related. When we’re stressed, our stomach is affected too.
“The gut is often referred to as the second brain because it has a nervous system with more neurotransmitters than the brain’s central nervous system,” says Tracey Torosian, Ph. D., a health psychologist who specializes in gastrointestinal health with Henry Ford Health. (Tracey Torosian, Ph. D., is a health psychologist who specializes in gastrointestinal health and illness. She sees patients at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and Henry Ford Medical Center—Columbus in Novi).
“When we’re stressed, our brain activates the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is our flight-or-fight response: it prepares the body to protect itself against imminent danger by conserving functions that aren’t immediately needed for survival. That includes digestion. The emptying of the stomach is delayed, which can lead to a stomachache, indigestion, heartburn and nausea.”
As the stomach is slowing down, stress causes increased motor function in the large intestine. So at the same time that you’re stressed, you might experience bowel urgency or diarrhea.
Whether you have a diagnosed condition or you’re experiencing digestive issues with no known cause, using coping tactics can help alleviate stress and calm your stomach.
“To have a positive impact on digestive symptoms, we want to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the body and brain’s rest and digest response—it basically undoes what the sympathetic nervous system does,” says Dr. Torosian. “When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, your body becomes calm, your heart rate goes down, and your gastrointestinal system functions as it should.”
Here, she shares ways to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
All of these tactics might not work all of the time, which is why it’s a good idea to have a few coping skills in your back pocket to choose from.
“The main thing is to be aware of your thoughts and how you are feeling,” says Dr. Torosian. “Know yourself, know what coping mechanisms work for you, know what your pitfalls are, and keep that repertoire of coping skills handy. If one doesn’t work, try another. You want to be able to say, ‘yes I’m upset, but I can get through this.’ We want people to be empowered, to go forth in life and know how to get through rough times.”
Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326970
#constipation #stress #digestive system #digest #intestine #stomach
Prepared by Viktorija Stučytė based on literature
