By now, we’re all well aware of the fact that excessive stress can wreak havoc on our bodies. From causing breakouts to messing with our sleep cycles, high levels of stress can really affect the way our body functions. But one bodily function that we don’t tend to associate with stress, is our bowel movements. We hate to break it to you, but those bathroom issues you might be facing, could be due to stress. Your brain and gut are more connected than you think, and if all’s not well up there, it probably won’t be down there, either. So, here are a few things you should probably know about stress-related poop problems.
It can manifest as either stress constipation or stress diarrhoea
Depending on which of the gastrointestinal issues you normally suffer from, you could either get constipation or diarrhoea as a result of excessive stress. High levels of stress will probably cause a change in digestion and water intake in your body, which will likely cause these issues. Plus, given the fact that the neurotransmitter serotonin is affected when you’re stressed or anxious, it can affect the way your gut functions.
It may aggravate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
While neither IBS or IBD are caused by stress, abnormal levels of stress can trigger symptoms of these disorders. Irritable bowel syndrome has a strong correlation to being affected by stress and can manifest as either diarrhoea or constipation. But only having these bathroom problems while stressed out and not otherwise, may not mean you have IBS. The syndrome is constant, and may just surface more frequently due to stress.
Similarly, with inflammatory bowel disease, stress can cause your already sensitive bowel area to get inflamed more easily. But once again, this doesn’t mean stress is causing the disease. It may only aggravate your symptoms.
You might feel like using the bathroom too often or have intense gas issues
As it is when you’re stressed out or nervous, you tend to feel like you’re going to throw up or poop. Due to excessive stress, you may have a strong urge to use the bathroom more frequently than usual. This might be because the fight or flight system in our bodies gets activated when we’re stressed out, resulting in a build-up of pressure that needs to be expelled.
Undigested or improperly digested food may also lead to a build-up of gas, which obviously results in flatulence, but can also cause unwarranted bowel movements, if severe.
You will have to pay closer attention to the food you’re eating
Like we mentioned above, stress and its effect on hormones and neurotransmitters in our body can lead to poor digestion. Coupled with this, the foods we eat could aggravate these problems, negatively affecting our body. So, if you’re stressed out and having poop problems, stay away from foods that can add to these issues. It’s advisable to avoid chocolate, coffee and tea.
So, if you’re facing a particularly stressful period in life and your bowel movements are not normal as they should be, don’t shy away from getting help.
