The feeling of bloating in the stomach due to stress is not just a psychological phenomenon. It is a real bodily and visceral expression of an anguish that can become a daily handicap. It is therefore essential to understand the origin of this state and find a solution to remedy it. But then, how to relieve the lump in the stomach due to stress ?
What is stress ?
Stress is defined as the set of physiological and psychological phenomena caused by a disturbance of the environmental balance. According to the WHO, “ stress appears in a person whose resources and personal coping strategies are overwhelmed by the demands placed on him” (WHO, Arck et al., 2001).
How does the lump in the belly of stress manifest itself in our body?
Stress manifests itself in different ways in our body. Feeling a lump in your stomach is a symptom called psychosomatic stress.
These abdominal pains are the reflection of the emotional expression which is transmitted via the intestine-brain axis governed by the vagus nerve. This nerve allows the management and transfer of information continuously between the digestive system and the brain. Thus, the nervous system present at the intestinal level participates in stress and anxiety . In this way, during a stressful situation , it is likely that the stomach will contract and knot, causing a feeling of a lump in the stomach . This lump in the stomach , caused by anxiety , can induce digestive disorders (diarrhea, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, etc.).
In some cases, the individual may face difficulty in absorption at the intestinal level. If stress becomes chronic , certain nutritional deficiencies can set in.
What states of stress can give us a lump in our stomachs?
Different causes of stress are responsible for a lump in the stomach .
Among them, we can cite the anxiety expressed by the body for all situations of fear and imbalance in the immediate environment around us. This form of stress originates in many situations such as a particular event (breakup, illness, failures, exams, etc.), an accumulation of tasks to be performed (at work or at home), but also disagreements with those around you. (dispute, lack of recognition, conflicting relationships, etc.).
Sometimes the causes relate to anticipatory anxiety . Indeed, some people are more prone to stress because their body seeks to anticipate each task or event in their daily life in order to better prepare for it. These people project themselves for a more or less short time in order to better manage and anticipate their reaction. However, the body finds itself in a situation of constant alert. Chronic stress is very likely to take place in cases of anticipatory anxiety , inducing many consequences on the health and well-being of the individual.
How to remove a belly knot?
The lump in the stomach caused by stress can be very unpleasant and it can become a daily burden.
Here are some tips to limit this feeling of ball in the stomach:
Breathing exercises are a good alternative to improve blood circulation and therefore help to limit this feeling of knot in the stomach. The stomach will relax, and the cramps will be less present.
Cardiac coherence is a technique that aims to control your breathing by trying to prolong your inspiration and expiration. By lengthening these breathing phases, the heart rate will gradually decrease, the feeling of stress and anxiety will, for its part, be reduced. In addition, focusing your mind on your breathing helps clear your thoughts. Relaxation is essential to better manage your anxiety .
Each person will have their own tips for relaxing . Some will need to immerse themselves in the dark and with calm . Others will feel better outside in contact with nature. Some will easily find a way to relax at any point of the day through positive thoughts. A simple coffee break can be a way to relax .
Be constantly attentive to your needs and your body to find what soothes you, reassures you. Be patient and don't give up after a few tries, it may take time.
Sophrology also involves a breathing technique . It is practiced through visualization and projection techniques to become fully aware of your senses and your body. Sophrology requires a lot of training before mastering it. You can easily find explanatory videos on YouTube that will suit you. Meditation , generally known to everyone, is a very effective technique for managing stress and anxiety .
However, it takes a long time to master and must be practiced regularly to reap the full benefits. With daily practice, your body will respond better and go more easily into a meditative state. However, you need to free up some time for yourself. Start by doing 10 minutes of meditation at night before bed. Avoid dwelling on your day or upcoming events. Empty yourself during these few minutes, your body will thank you for it.
To limit stress , some speak of positive psychology. Here we are talking about optimistic thoughts, a way of seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty. It's not really an exercise, but a way of seeing things in different ways to take most of the positive. This way of seeing things makes it possible to de-dramatize each situation.
For example, your boss gives you a mountain of work to finish before the weekend. You still have a good chunk left, but three quarters are done. Tell yourself that the hardest part is done and can't wait for the weekend! If ever these relaxation exercises have no effect on your body, turn to a natural product that will considerably improve your states of stress: the 24% full-spectrum organic hemp oil that we offer on our site.
Can stress be beneficial?
Stress is often very unpleasant, but sometimes it is necessary. Indeed, when our body puts itself in a stressful situation (stomach aches, palpitations, etc.), it is actually an innate reaction that manifests itself. Stress triggers an adaptive physiological response that occurs at the level of the autonomic nervous system through the sympathetic nervous system. This response allows the body to react quickly.
An individual under stress will therefore be physiologically better prepared to make a quick decision than if his body does not perceive stress . This reaction has an evolutionary advantage, when in animal instinct, this mechanism made it possible to better respond to fight or flight. In this way, certain events will be more easily achievable under stress . Of course, this phenomenon depends on each situation and each individual.
Here is the same situation experienced by two different people:
Emy and Clara are about to take the baccalaureate exam. It's a big step in their education, and despite their encouraging results throughout the year, intense stress is felt, they have had a lump in their stomachs for a week.
Emy does not like this feeling, but this stress stimulates her work. This panic that invades her body forces her to work hard to obtain this diploma. She doesn't think about going out with her friends or her favorite series, she is focused on obtaining her diploma.
Clara does not take this stress as a cakewalk either. The ball in the stomach caused by his stress makes him live a nightmare. She can't find the strength to revise and has trouble concentrating. Clara would simply like her stomach cramps to subside so that she can revise calmly. On the advice of her mother, Clara decides to take 15 minutes for herself before each of her revisions. She listens to some music, calls a friend or has a snack with her brother. She tries as much as possible to play down the drama, she had good results this year and does her best during these revisions. The stress is always present, but she tries, somehow, to accept it without it being able to harm her success.
These two young girls are going through the same ordeal, but the stress impacts their lives differently.
For one, stress is a real engine to boost his mental capacities, for the other, stress takes all his energy and limits his mental capacities to function fully.
Indeed, during an exam, a person can experience his stress as beneficial to allow his brain to focus on the test. Otherwise, some people perceive this stress as very restrictive for their concentration on the exam. We're talking about mental health here, but stress can have the same effects on physical performance. Indeed, before a sporting competition, some will boost their performance thanks to stress , as for others, it can considerably harm their success.
Our best advice is to get to know you. Accept stress if it can be beneficial to you, make sure you understand its origin. Practice self-control and breathing exercises to make it less strenuous. You may have to go through a reorganization of certain components of your daily life to anticipate without stress . But above all, take time for yourself!
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