Stress is a common experience that can affect health in several ways, including gut health. Nicole O’Neill, a dietitian with OSF HealthCare, explains the link between stress and digestive issues. “I know for a lot of people, the first thing that happens when they have something big and stressful coming up, they are running to the bathroom, or they don’t go to the bathroom at all,” O’Neill says. “So, there’s a definitive connection between stress and gut.”
O’Neill notes that the brain and gut communicate through nerves and bacteria. The vagus nerve plays an important role in this process. “The vagus nerve is connected, literally from your brain to your gut, and it’s one of our longest nerves,” she says. “And if your brain is in distress, it directly connects to your gut and causes your gut distress. The opposite is true too. If your gut is in distress, your brain is in distress. It’s all tied together.”
Diet can influence how stress impacts the digestive system. O’Neill observes that many people change their eating habits during stressful times: “When you’re stressed out, do you eat the same as when you’re not stressed out? Most of us don’t. We trend towards wanting sweet things or salty things,” she says. “They alter the chemical composition in your gut, which also alters the bacteria that can live in your gut.”
She adds that unhealthy food choices under stress may lead to an increase in harmful bacteria in the digestive tract: more sugar consumption can make the gut lining more porous or leaky.
To address these issues, O’Neill recommends reducing stress through physical activity or personal time such as reading or listening to music. She suggests learning time management skills and considering professional mental health support.
Improving diet is another key step according to O’Neill: “If you eat an excellent diet, plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, proteins, whole grains, then you’re creating a safe environment for the good bacteria to grow, and that good bacteria allow your brain rest and relaxation.”
O’Neill points out that both stress affecting digestion and digestive problems increasing stress are common among her patients: “We see a lot of people that stress is driving their gut. And we see a lot of people that their gut is driving their stress,” she says.
“It can flip flop either direction, but there are solutions. So if you’re struggling with your gut, if you’re struggling with stress, getting the proper help that you need from any provider is going to help the other one.”
OSF HealthCare offers information on disease prevention and wellness through its newsroom (official website). The organization operates 17 hospitals along with urgent-care centers and clinics across Illinois and Michigan (official website). OSF HealthCare provides various services including emergency care and mental health support (official website), serving both urban and rural communities (official website).
For more information about managing stress-related digestive issues or other health topics visit OSF HealthCare’s website.
