High levels of stress can cause or aggravate gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, stomach pain, and changes in bowel movements, which can include constipation. Researchers have identified various connections between the brain and stomach that may lead to constipation symptoms. A range of treatments and remedies can help relieve stress-related constipation. In this article, we cover some of the possible links between stress and constipation, along with potential treatments. Constipation means that a person has difficulty passing stool or does not have bowel movements very often. Constipation symptoms vary among individuals and can include:
- fewer than three bowel movements per week
- dry, hard, or lumpy stool
- bowel movements that are difficult or painful to pass
- feeling unable to empty the bowels
Many factors can cause constipation. Common causes of constipation are dehydration, a lack of physical activity, and a poor diet — for example, not eating enough fiber. Stress can also lead to constipation. When psychological stress leads to physical symptoms, they are known as somatic symptoms.
What’s happening?
Most of your bodily functions are controlled by the autonomic nervous system, a network of nerves that connect the brain to major organs. The autonomic nervous system contains the sympathetic nervous system, which prepares your body for fight-or-flight emergencies and high-anxiety situations.
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.
Enteric nervous system
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:
- In stressful situations, the body’s adrenal glands release a hormone called epinephrine, which plays a role in the so-called fight-or-flight response. It causes the body to divert blood flow from the intestines toward vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, and brain. As a result, intestinal movement slows down, and constipation can occur.
- In response to stress, the body releases more corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in the bowels. This hormone acts directly on the intestines, which it can slow down and cause to become inflamed. The intestines have different types of CRF receptors, some of which speed up processes in the intestines, while others slow them down.
- Stress causes increased intestinal permeability. This permeability allows inflammatory compounds to come into the intestines, which can lead to a feeling of abdominal fullness — a common complaint among people who struggle with constipation.
- Stress may affect the normal healthy bacteria in the gut. Research has not confirmed this theory, but many people believe that stress may reduce the number of healthy gut bacteria in the body, thus slowing digestion.
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.
Treating stress-related 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.
Summary
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.
Stress Affects Digestion
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.
The Effect Of Chronic Stress On The Digestive System
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.
“It’s important to note that stress doesn’t cause underlying diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but it can intensify symptoms,” says Dr. Torosian. “But a history of stress and trauma may contribute to some gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). People can feel horrible, but their gastrointestinal workup looks normal—there are no tangible findings as to what is causing their stomach issues.”
Slight tress also affects digestion
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.
Tips To Alleviating Stress And Calming Your Stomach
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.
- Make time for relaxing activities. “What each person finds relaxing is up to them,” says Dr. Torosian. “One person might want to relax by reading a good book, another person might want to do something active, such as hiking. Find what helps you manage stress and work it into your routine. It helps to create a buffer from stress, both preventatively and in times of stress.”
- Check in with yourself. When you’re feeling upset, stop and think: are the thoughts I’m having helping or harming me? “We can all get into patterns of responding in ways that contribute to stress,” says Dr. Torosian. “The way you think about something has a big impact on how you feel about it. For example, you can’t control the fact that you have IBD, but you can control the thoughts you have about your illness. Identifying and changing stress-provoking thoughts can help manage gastrointestinal symptoms.”
- Know when you need support. Sometimes you can’t do it on your own, no matter how much you talk yourself up. “Knowing when to reach out to friends and family for support is a huge coping skill,” says Dr. Torosian. “That is really important. Sometimes, the times you want to be alone are the times you’ll most benefit from confiding in a friend.”
- Practice self-compassion. Talk to yourself the way you talk to loved ones. “We are often more critical of ourselves than we ever would be to our friends and family,” says Dr. Torosian. “Remember to be kind and non-judgmental toward yourself.”
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
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Prepared by Viktorija Stučytė based on literature