Medically reviewed on November 22, 2022 by Amy Harris, MS, RN, CNM. To give you technically accurate, evidence-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.
Table of contents
We likely all feel stress at various life stages, whether you’re waiting to hear if you got your dream job or anticipating a difficult family situation. So, can stress make you get sick? That depends on what kind of stress you are dealing with. There are two types of stress we can experience as humans: good stress and bad stress.
Good stress is characterized by feelings of excitement and is often felt in the short term. Bad stress, on the other hand, can persist for long periods of time and is typically accompanied by anxiety or poor concentration [1].
Unfortunately, chronic stress can impact the whole body and negatively impact your gut and digestive tract.
Our stress response is often referred to as “fight or flight.” It’s the body’s reaction to fear or a perceived threat and may trigger individuals to flee or combat physical danger. However, psychological or mental stress may also activate your body’s “fight or flight” response, which may develop from a difficult work meeting or looming deadline.
It’s complex and involves three stages [2]:
So, how does stress affect the digestive system? When your body’s stress response is activated, digestion is suppressed, and if the stress persists, the digestive system may experience irritation or upset.
If you’ve been experiencing persistent stomach pain, stress may be the culprit. More specifically, you may have a peptic ulcer—a lesion on the lining of your digestive tract, often found in the stomach or small intestine [3].
Our understanding of what causes ulcers has shifted since H. Pylori (a bacteria) has been discovered as a leading cause. However, according to one study, stress may affect your chances of developing ulcers [4]:
While stress may not be the primary cause of peptic ulcers, the study does suggest that chronic stress may put individuals at an increased risk of stomach or intestinal ulcers.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a fairly common condition, although it’s not one that healthcare providers and researchers fully understand yet.
You may be suffering from IBS if you’re experiencing most or all of the following digestive symptoms:
That said, research indicates that stress may trigger irritable bowel syndrome in three ways [5]:
In turn, stress can upset the digestive system, triggering IBS or IBS flare-ups. Because IBS may be a stress-sensitive disorder, one study suggests that IBS management should focus on relieving feelings of unease and anxiety in patients’ day-to-day lives [5].
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is an extreme type of acid reflux that occurs after stomach acid repeatedly flows to and from the mouth and stomach, which can irritate the esophagus and cause reflux esophagitis.
While GERD can be managed with medication or diet changes, managing stress levels may also help ease GERD-related symptoms. One Korean research study found that psychological stress may be correlated to GERD [6]:
While you can help alleviate your GERD symptoms with a treatment plan, managing stress levels may also help ease the physiological effects of GERD.
Your gut is full of trillions of tiny bacteria and microbes that work together to aid key bodily functions related to metabolism, digestion, and pathogen prevention, as well as immune function [7].
That said, your gut and brain are connected through the gut-brain axis—two-way signaling between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. As such, chronic stress may impact your flourishing gut flora and cause digestive issues.
One study suggests that stress may affect your gut bacteria through the following mechanisms [8]:
That said, your gut flora is worth protecting, and cutting down on your stress is one way to help keep it happy and healthy.
Reducing the amount of stress you feel day-to-day may help support both your gut health and full-body health. To relax your body and mind, Harvard Health Publishing suggests that the following psychotherapy treatments might be a smart place to start [9]:
If you’re experiencing high stress levels or gastrointestinal discomfort, speak with your healthcare provider to identify a management plan that works best for you and your body.
If you're interested in learning more about your own specific stress response, Everlywell can help. The Sleep & Stress Test lets you collect your sample at home and mail to a laboratory for testing (prepaid shipping is included with the kit). The secure, online results (which you'll receive in just days) will provide you with information about your stress and sleep hormone levels (including cortisol and melatonin) and how well-balanced they are.
References