Have you at any point need to make a “horrible” choice under tension? Or then again would you say you were restless that you had butterflies in your stomach? Provided that this is true, at that point you realize what stress can mean for your stomach.
The mind and the gut are associated and continually in correspondence. Truth be told, more neurons live in the gut then in the whole spinal line, as per research distributed in the book Neuroscience.
The gut is called the second brain. The enteric sensory system, alongside its 100 million nerve cells that line your gastrointestinal tract from your throat to your rectum, controls stomach related cycles like Gulping, the release of enzymes to breakdown food and to separate nutrients from byproducts. Stress can fundamentally affect the manner in which your body does these processes.
What Happens When Your Body Is Stressed?
When you are stressed the sympathetic nervous system which regulates the body functions like the heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure responds by releasing the stress hormone Cortisol sensing a danger and helping the body to face the threat.
Stress causes physiological changes like increase in awareness or alertness, quicker breathing and heartbeat, raised blood pressure, an increase in blood cholesterol, and increased muscle tension.
At the point when stress enacts the flight-or-flight reaction in our system it can have a negative effect on our digestive system
- It makes gulping difficult by causing spasms in the esophagus.
- Increasing the acidity of the stomach which causes acid reflux or indigestion or burning sensations.
- Triggering Diarrhea or constipation
- Feeling of aversion to food or making you nauseatic.
- Uneasy or feeling too full.
In more serious cases it could lower the blood flow to the stomach and deplete the oxygen leading to stinging pain in the stomach, cramping, inflammation etc which can kill the good bacteria in the gut causing more gastro intenstinal distress.This could eventually lead to many diseases like Irritable Bowel Syndrome( IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease(IBD) , Peptic Ulcers, Gastroesophageal reflux Disease (GERD)
6 Ways to Manage Stress
There are diffferent types of approaches to Reduce Stress. Everyone would have a different way of dealing with it and relieving it.Not all techniques will equally work for everyone.However, here are six alternatives you can attempt which has worked for maximum people in the past.
- Get Regular Exercise
Physical activity relieves tension and stimulates the release of happy or positive chemicals in your brain called endomorphins which act as natural painkillers and improve sleep quality, which can inturn help in reducing the stress.
2.Stress Busting Foods
Foods like Almonds, walnuts,avocados, cashew nuts, green leafy vegetables, dark chocolate, salmons etc contain omega 3 fats, magnesium and other micronutrients which aid in reducing stress.So include atleast one of them in your diet everyday.
3.Yoga
The Age old science of yoga can do wonders on the body and mind. The asanas when practiced with right instructions and breathing can not only help reduce stress but also deal with life circumstances better. Yoga is not about how fast you can do a posture its more about how good you get at doing a particular posture and hold it for the longest time. Getting one posture right could take years of practice.
4.Meditation
Meditation for most people seems the most difficult thing to do as our minds are constantly running. However, meditation is simple and when done everyday without being stressed about having no thoughts at all and let your mind flow and settle slowly it could help you calming yourself in the most difficult situations and focus on solutions. There are many guided meditations available start with a simple 5 minute meditation of focusing on your breath.
5.Time-Management Skills
Most of us are overwhelmed with the amount of work we have to do. Thinking about it makes it more stressful and nothing gets done. The simple way to deal with this is write down what things have to be done. Strike of things which can be delegated, then re-prioritize the list. Start with the most difficult task first then move on to simpler ones which would make your day more productive and less stressful.
6. Develop a Hobby
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull Boy” its not applicable only to children but also adults. Develop a hobby if you don’t have one. If you already have one then start doing it. It could be silly, simple, complicated but do what makes you happy. The happier you are, the solutions will come up for the problems. Take some time out for yourself everyday even if its 5 minutes and do what makes you happy.
Stress could impair you from deciding, deteriorate your health, reduce concentration, bring tension in relationships. You have the power to stop it!!