Stress and the Gut: How to Calm the Chaos Inside

The Invisible Weight of Stress

If you live with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) or another form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), you may have noticed a pattern: the more stressed you feel, the more chaotic your gut becomes.

The urgency.

The cramping.

The bloating that comes out of nowhere.

The feeling that your body is holding its breath, waiting for something to go wrong.

It’s not your imagination. The gut and the nervous system are deeply connected. In fact, the gut is often called the "second brain" for a reason; it responds to stress just as sharply as your mind does. And when you’re already living with a sensitive, inflamed digestive tract, even a low hum of stress can tip things off balance.

I’ve felt it in my own body too, that sense of fragility, like one more bad night’s sleep or one more overwhelming week might be enough to trigger a flare. It’s exhausting. And it’s also one of the most overlooked aspects of gut healing: the role that chronic stress plays in both symptoms and recovery.

This blog is here to help you understand why stress affects your digestion so much and what you can do to calm your system down. We're going to explore the science, the emotional side, and the healing tools that can help bring your body back into a state of safety.

When your body feels safe, it can start to heal.

The Science Behind Stress and the Gut

When it comes to understanding why stress wreaks havoc on your gut, especially if you're living with ulcerative colitis (UC) or other inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), it helps to start with a little biology. And don't worry, we're keeping it simple and practical. The goal here isn't to memorise all the science, but to feel empowered by it.

The Gut-Brain Axis: Your Body’s Two-Way Communication Line

Your brain and your gut are constantly talking to each other. This conversation happens via a complex system called the gut-brain axis, a communication superhighway made up of nerves, hormones, and biochemicals that link your central nervous system (brain and spine) with your enteric nervous system (the “mini brain” in your gut).

At the centre of this system is something called the vagus nerve, a long, winding nerve that sends signals in both directions. When you’re calm, the vagus nerve helps regulate digestion, keep inflammation in check, and promote a feeling of ease. But when you’re stressed, this same system becomes disrupted.

Suddenly, the messages being sent from your brain to your gut are telling your body, “Something is wrong. We’re not safe. Prepare for danger.”

In a healthy person, this might mean a few butterflies in the stomach. But for someone with UC or other IBD, it can be the difference between a symptom-free day and a full-blown flare.

For a deeper dive on the gut-brain axis, Cleveland Clinic has a helpful breakdown on how your nervous system impacts digestion and immunity.

What Stress Does to Digestion (And Why It Feels So Immediate)

When your body goes into a stress response, whether from a real crisis or just a tough day at work, your nervous system shifts gears. It moves away from “rest and digest” mode and into “fight or flight.”

Here’s what that actually does to your digestion:

• Slows or halts digestion completely: Your body prioritises survival over nutrient absorption. Cue bloating, indigestion, or constipation.

• Speeds up colon motility: Stress can make the colon contract more, which can lead to cramping, urgency, or diarrhoea, a familiar pattern for many people with UC.

• Impairs nutrient absorption: Chronic stress weakens your digestive enzymes, so even when you’re eating well, your body may not be taking in what it needs.

• Alters the microbiome: Stress can reduce the diversity of your gut bacteria, which in turn worsens inflammation and lowers resilience.

• Increases gut permeability (aka “leaky gut”): This allows toxins, bacteria, and partially digested food particles to slip through the gut lining and trigger immune responses, a big deal when you’re already living with inflammation.

Stress Doesn’t Cause IBD, but It Does Fuel the Fire

To be clear, stress doesn’t cause ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. These are complex autoimmune conditions with genetic, environmental, and microbial components. But once you do have IBD, stress can become a powerful flare trigger. And often, it becomes part of a frustrating cycle:

Stress = Gut symptoms = More stress = Worse symptoms.

Breaking that cycle takes more than just trying to “be less stressed.” It means understanding your nervous system, listening to your body’s signals, and finding tools that support true regulation, from the inside out.

And that’s exactly what we’ll explore in the next section.

The Emotional Landscape of Living with IBD

Living with ulcerative colitis (UC) or another inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is physical, but it’s deeply emotional too. In fact, for many of us, it’s the emotional toll that can feel the hardest to carry. The stress of symptoms is one thing. But the anticipation of symptoms? That kind of stress can settle deep into the nervous system and quietly shape how you move through the world.

The Hidden Weight of Flare Anxiety

It’s not just “stress” in the general sense. It’s the constant, quiet vigilance that comes with IBD.

• Will I find a bathroom in time?

• What if I eat something wrong and set things off again?

• How do I explain this to the people in my life without sounding dramatic?

Even when your gut is calm, these kinds of thoughts can keep your body in a low-grade state of alert. And when you're in a flare, that stress shoots up even higher, the pain, the unpredictability, the cancelled plans, the sense that your body is working against you. It’s no wonder so many people with IBD also experience anxiety and depression.

And here’s the thing: this emotional stress doesn’t live in your head. It lives in your body. Your gut feels it. Your nervous system remembers it. And over time, that stress can become part of the flare pattern itself.

Medical Trauma, Mistrust, and the Exhaustion of “Trying Everything”

Many people with UC have been on a long, winding journey to diagnosis. For some, it took years of misdiagnosis, dismissal, or confusion before anyone said the words “inflammatory bowel disease.” And even after diagnosis, it often doesn’t get easier. Medication changes. Hospital stays. Side effects. Food confusion. Flare after flare.

It’s a lot.

And it can leave you feeling burnt out physically and emotionally. You might start to lose trust in your body. Or feel disconnected from it altogether. You might start to doubt what healing even means anymore.

I remember, at one point, thinking:

If this is just how my life is now, how do I find peace inside it?

That question, more than anything else, was what led me to look beyond just symptom control and start understanding the stress response in a much deeper way.

This kind of emotional exhaustion is real. 

Because calming the chaos inside means managing symptoms and making space for grief, for frustration, and for the long-overdue exhale that your nervous system has been waiting for.

How to Calm the Chaos: Tools to Soothe Your Nervous System

When your gut feels like it’s constantly in survival mode, it’s easy to assume the only path to relief is more medication, stricter diets, or trying to outsmart your symptoms. But sometimes, what the body needs most is something far more foundational: safety.

Your nervous system is designed to scan for danger and to respond when it finds safety again. When you can guide your body into a calmer, more regulated state, everything changes: digestion improves, inflammation quiets, and healing becomes possible.

Here are some gentle, realistic tools that support both your gut and your nervous system, especially when you’re living with an IBD like ulcerative colitis.

1. Breath and the Vagus Nerve: The Fastest Way to Signal Safety

One of the quickest ways to tell your body you’re safe now is through your breath. This taps directly into the vagus nerve, which helps control digestion, heart rate, and immune responses.

Try this simple practice:

Box Breathing 

– Inhale for 4 seconds 

– Hold for 4 seconds 

– Exhale for 4 seconds 

– Hold for 4 seconds 

Repeat 4–5 times.

Even 1–2 minutes can shift your body out of fight-or-flight and into rest-and-digest. It’s subtle, but over time, it retrains your nervous system to recognise safety again, which your gut desperately needs.

2. Nervous System Nourishment 

We often think of nourishment in terms of what’s on our plate. But the nervous system is nourished by so much more than nutrients. It responds to your environment, your routines, your relationships, and even the way you speak to yourself.

Here are a few examples of “nervous system nourishment”:

• Morning sunlight on your face

• A gentle walk without headphones

• Reading instead of scrolling

• Saying no without guilt

• Setting a five-minute timer just to rest

• Humming, singing, or chanting (stimulates the vagus nerve)

• Time in nature (even a small plant on your desk helps)

These help shift your internal state from hyper-alert to regulated. 

3. Food + Mood: A Two-Way Street

What we eat affects our mood, our resilience, and our stress levels, too. Certain foods can increase inflammation and send your nervous system into overdrive. Others can help you feel grounded and soothed.

Foods that may contribute to anxiety or stress:

• Caffeine

• Refined sugar

• Alcohol

• Highly processed foods

Foods that can support a calmer gut and brain:

• Bone broth

• Steamed or roasted veggies

• Omega-3 rich foods (like salmon, chia seeds, walnuts)

• Fermented foods (if tolerated)

• Herbal teas (like chamomile, rooibos, or peppermint)

The goal is to tune in. Ask: How does this food make me feel 30 minutes later? Your body’s responses are your best guide.

You might also enjoy my blog on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet or our breakdown of gut-friendly lifestyle strategies.

4. Therapy, Trauma Work & Support That Actually Helps

Chronic illness is hard. It’s not weak to ask for help. It’s wise.

Somatic therapy, in particular, is designed to help you reconnect with your body and discharge stored stress. Trauma-informed therapy can help unpack medical trauma or the emotional exhaustion of years of symptoms.

You don’t need to talk about your gut the whole time, but healing your relationship with your body always supports your gut, even indirectly.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can stress cause ulcerative colitis?

No, stress doesn’t cause UC or Crohn’s. These are complex autoimmune conditions with genetic, immune, and microbial factors. But stress can absolutely make symptoms worse, and even trigger flares. It’s not “all in your head,” but your nervous system is involved. Calming your stress response supports every other part of your healing.

2. Why does my UC get worse when I’m anxious?

When you're anxious, your body enters fight-or-flight mode. This changes gut motility, reduces enzyme production, weakens your microbiome, and increases gut permeability, a tough combination for someone already dealing with inflammation. Think of it as your gut taking on your emotions physically.

3. What are some quick ways to calm my gut during a flare?

During a flare, your body needs safety signals. Try this:

• A short breathwork session (like box breathing)

• A warm herbal tea (peppermint or chamomile)

• A heat pack on your belly

• Gentle movement (like a slow walk or legs-up-the-wall)

• Less screen time, more quiet

These won't "cure" a flare, but they can help dial down the stress that's amplifying it.

4. Can therapy help with gut issues?

Yes, especially somatic therapy and trauma-informed therapy. These approaches help your nervous system regulate more effectively, which can support digestion and reduce stress-driven flares. 

5. What’s the best diet for stress and IBD?

There’s no single best diet, but foods that are gentle on the gut and reduce inflammation can also reduce stress on the body. Think soft-cooked veggies, broths, healthy fats, fermented foods (if tolerated), and hydration. And remember, how you eat matters too: slowing down, chewing well, and eating in a calm state makes a big difference.

Your Gut Is Listening

Stress is often the invisible thread running through our fears, fatigue, and flares. And when you live with ulcerative colitis or another form of IBD, it’s easy to feel like your body is always bracing for impact, like there’s chaos inside you that you can’t quite calm.

But healing doesn’t begin with fixing.

It begins with listening.

With softening.

With safety.

The tools I’ve shared in this blog aren’t about doing more, they’re about doing differently. They’re about changing the way you relate to your body, your symptoms, and your stress. Because when you feel safe inside, your gut responds. I’ve seen it in my own journey, and I’ve seen it in so many others, too.

You don’t have to do it all at once. Start with one breath. One boundary. One bowl of soup eaten slowly and with care. That’s where the healing begins, not with control, but with connection.

If you want to explore this even deeper, you’ll find lots more tools in Well Now: Reclaim Your Life from Ulcerative Colitis, available here on Amazon. 

And if this blog helped you, I’d love for you to share it with someone who might need it. Your nervous system might be craving quiet, but your story could be the loud, loving reminder someone else needs today.