What is ‘Stress Belly’ and How is it Treated?

Although not a medical term, stress belly is a commonly used colloquialism for the bloating that occurs when a person is stressed. Abdominal distention is a common symptom of chronic stress and is something that many people will be familiar with.

There are many reasons why stress leads to bloating and other digestive issues, including physiological, metabolic, and hormonal contributions. Understanding the main factors contributing to stress belly will make it easier to tackle this issue if it arises.

Let’s take a look at the underlying causes of stress belly and how you can manage or eliminate it.

What Causes Stress Belly?

Just as the name suggests, the main underlying cause of stress belly is stress. When you’re stressed, your brain signals the adrenal glands to start producing cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline, the ‘stress hormones’.

Cortisol diverts blood away from the digestive tract and to the skeletal muscles so you can fight or run away fro the perceived danger. Due to less blood circulating the digestive tract, your digestion slows down and ingested food is absorbed more slowly. In turn, you can end up feeling bloated even if you consume the same amount of food as usual.

At the same time, your body will hold onto more water and store more fat when it feels like it’s in danger, such as when you’re experiencing chronic stress. In particular, it will store more visceral fat around the abdomen, a type of fat that has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

How to Manage or Treat Stress Belly

Treating stress belly and reducing the risk of its worsening involves a variety of strategies, including healthy lifestyle changes and stress management techniques. Here are some of our top tips for managing and treating stress belly.

Exercise Daily

Exercise can help to keep things moving through your digestive tract and reduce the risk of bloating. It can help your body flush out excess fluids in the urine via the kidneys to reduce water retention around the stomach, and also promotes fat loss around the abdomen.

Physical activity acts as a stress reliever in the long run. Although it causes a temporary increase in cortisol and adrenaline during your workout itself, regular exercise can help to lower your baseline levels of these hormones to reduce overall stress perception.

Stress Management

Managing your stress is vital for reducing the risk and severity of stress belly. Aim to incorporate stress management techniques into your daily routine to keep your cortisol levels within a healthy range.

Great stress-busting things to include in your routine are meditation, deep breathing, yoga, and exercise. Each of these things can promote a more positive and resilient mind and body, minimising digestive issues and contributing to better overall health.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can increase water retention in the abdomen, worsening stress belly. Drinking enough water throughout the day enables you to stay hydrated and prevents central oedema. Increasing your fluid intake also boosts your digestive health, reducing the risk of other gastrointestinal symptoms like constipation and abdominal pains.