Visual of stress impact on body and mind

How Stress Wrecks Your Digestion (And What to Do About It)

Gut HealthLifestyleNutrition & SupplementsApril 3, 2025

BALA BITES: HOW STRESS SABOTAGES YOUR DIGESTION

Our bodies are built for short bursts of stress. Acute stress helps us perform our best. We achieve sharper focus, boosted energy and improved memory in the moment.

Think of acute stress like a resiliency workout—your body rising to meet the challenge.

But modern life doesn’t work like that. We’re not sprinting through danger. We’re simmering in it. When you don't manage it, stress becomes chronic.

Some research says >70% of adults spend 70% of their lives in a state of chronic stress.

Sounds like an epidemic to me.

Here’s the thing: your body doesn't heal when it thinks it’s in danger. And one of the first systems to suffer? Digestion.

Here's how stress silently sabotages your digestion.

WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS

Quick stressors are easier for the body to process. As for chronic stress? It's longer in duration and short in recovery. And that's where the digestive damage is done.

Chronic stress...slows your stomach down.

Stress delays gastric emptying—food lingers in the stomach longer, leading to bloating, nausea, and indigestion. This is thanks to hormones like CRF that hit the brakes on your gut’s natural rhythm.

Chronic stress...weakens your gut lining.

Stress increases intestinal permeability (a.k.a. “leaky gut”) and reduces nutrient absorption. Mast cells activate. Blood flow drops. The gut barrier weakens.

Chronic stress...scrambles your gut’s timing.

Your stomach slows, but your intestines might speed up. This primal “flush the threat” response shows up today as urgency, diarrhea, or unpredictable bowels.

Chronic stress...fuels inflammation and disrupts your microbiome.

Chronic stress reshapes gut bacteria and stokes inflammation—an ideal recipe for IBS and other GI issues.

Chronic stress...even reduces saliva production.

Less saliva = fewer digestive enzymes = weaker digestion before food even hits your stomach.

All goes to show that you can have the best diet in the world—organic, pasture-raised, anti-inflammatory everything. But if stress runs the show, your digestion won’t cooperate.

Digestion and stress are connected through the gut-brain axis.

YOUR REMINDER

A calmer nervous system is a more efficient digestive system.

Reduce stress and you just might digest—and feel—better than ever.

Here are 4 simple ways to de-stress to improve digestion naturally that actually work.

Breathwork
Humming
Vagus nerve stimulation
Cold exposure

Make a goal to try them today. Your gut will thank you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Chronic stress and digestion are deeply connected through the gut-brain axis
If you're feeling off, it's worth asking: how is stress affecting your gut health
Natural remedies for stress can play a powerful role in improving digestion
The gut-brain connection explains why your stomach feels the tension before your mind does
Learning how to reduce stress is key to restoring your digestive health