How Stress Wrecks Your Digestion—and 5 Ways to Fix It
- Stephanie - Square One Health
- Jun 24
- 2 min read
Updated: 1 minute ago
You’re not imagining it: when life feels stressful, your stomach often knows it first. Whether it’s bloating, gas, nausea, or that “rock in your gut,” stress has a profound effect on digestion.
At Square One Health, we believe that understanding how stress and digestion connect is one of the first steps toward lasting relief—and true healing starts from the inside out.
Stress and Your Digestive System: The Connection
Your body has two main nervous system modes:
Sympathetic (Fight or Flight): Your body focuses on survival—blood rushes to muscles, your heart rate climbs, and digestion slows way down.
Parasympathetic (Rest and Digest): Your body focuses on healing, digestion, and absorbing nutrients.
When you’re stressed—even mentally—your body thinks it’s under threat. The result? Less saliva, less stomach acid, slower digestion, and more chances for bloating, indigestion, or constipation.
Signs Stress Is Impacting Your Gut
Stress can show up in your digestive system in sneaky ways, like:
Bloating and gas
Heartburn or reflux
Nausea
Irregular bowel movements
Loss of appetite—or stress eating
Left unaddressed, chronic stress can contribute to long-term gut issues, including leaky gut, dysbiosis, and inflammation.
How to Help Your Digestion During Stress
The good news? Small changes can go a long way toward keeping your digestive system calm—even when life feels chaotic.
1. Practice Mindful Eating
Slow down and engage your senses while eating. Smell your food, notice the colors, and chew thoroughly. The cephalic phase of digestion starts before you even swallow, priming your digestive organs to do their job.
2. Breathe Before You Eat
Taking just a few slow breaths before meals can shift you into “rest and digest” mode. It’s simple—but powerful.
3. Chew Your Food Well
Chewing isn’t just mechanical—it’s chemical. It breaks food into smaller particles and mixes it with enzymes in saliva, making your stomach’s job much easier.
4. Create Calm Meal Times
Avoid eating while working, rushing, or arguing. Give your body permission to focus on digestion.
5. Seek Gentle Support
Herbs like chamomile, lemon balm, or peppermint can help ease digestive tension. Always check with a practitioner before trying new herbs or supplements.
