By Anna Cave-Bigley 

For much of my life, I never thought deeply about how stress showed up in my body. I just pushed through—work, deadlines, relationships, the pressure to perform. But in my late 20s, my body began sending signals I couldn’t ignore. One of the most persistent?

A bloated, crampy stomach that left me uncomfortable and disconnected.

No matter how “clean” my diet was or how often I exercised, the bloating wouldn’t go away. Everything changed when I finally explored the connection between my gut and my emotions. I realised stress and anxiety weren’t just affecting my mind, they were disrupting my digestion too. That understanding transformed the way I approached my health and inspired the work I do today.

As Co-Founder of The SABI and a Product Developer, I wanted to create something that addressed this mind–gut connection directly. That’s one of the reasons Hilary and I developed The Digestive Herbata, a calming tea created to support digestion and bring relief when your gut feels out of balance, especially during stressful times.

If you’ve ever wondered why stress seems to settle straight in your stomach, here’s what’s happening inside your body, and how you can find relief.

How Stress Impacts Your Gut

Your gut and brain communicate constantly through the gut–brain axis. When you’re stressed, that connection can shift into overdrive, triggering physical symptoms like bloating, cramps, discomfort, and sudden changes in bowel movements.

To understand why, it helps to see the cascade in action:

The Stress → Gut → Bloating Cascade

1. Stress Response Activates

• Fight-or-flight mode switches on

• Cortisol surges

• Blood flow is diverted away from digestion

• The body prioritises survival, not digestion

↓

2. Digestive System Disrupts

• Digestion slows down or becomes erratic

• Gas becomes trapped

• Gut lining becomes more sensitive

• Microbiome balance shifts

↓

3. Bloating Appears

• Swelling and abdominal fullness

• Cramping or spasms

• Irregular bowel movements

• That tight, pressure-filled feeling

This is why even a healthy diet can’t outperform stress.

1. Stress Activates Fight-or-Flight

When stress hits, your body moves into survival mode. Blood flow moves away from digestion and toward the muscles and brain, causing digestion to slow dramatically. Food sits longer in the gut, leading to bloating and discomfort.

2. Cortisol Disrupts Gut Function

When cortisol rises, it can:

• Slow gut motility, leading to constipation

• Speed motility up unpredictably, causing diarrhoea

• Increase gut inflammation

• Disrupt your microbiome

This is why long-term stress often leads to chronic digestive symptoms.

3. Stress Increases Gas Production

Stress triggers spasms in the digestive tract. These spasms trap gas, creating pressure and that bloated, swollen feeling that many of us experience during periods of anxiety or overwhelm.

The Gut–Brain Loop: When Symptoms Feed Stress

Your gut speaks back to your brain through the same gut–brain axis.
When digestion becomes inflamed or unbalanced, it can worsen:

• Anxiety

• Irritability

• Low mood

• Stress reactivity

This creates a loop:
Stress affects digestion → disrupted digestion increases stress.

Breaking this loop is the key to real relief.

How to Calm Your Gut and Mind

You can break the stress–bloating cycle by supporting both your nervous system and your digestion.

Here are the strategies that help me most:

1. Sip on Stress-Soothing Herbal Teas

Herbal teas are a gentle, effective way to support the gut–brain axis.

The Digestive Herbata was crafted specifically to calm both stress and digestion with herbs like:

The Digestive Herbata — Key Herbs & Their Functions

(Insert as a clean table or two-column layout)

A warm cup in the afternoon or evening can bring both physical and emotional grounding.

2. Practice Deep Breathing

Deep breathing activates the vagus nerve—the pathway that connects the brain and gut.

Try this simple practice:
Inhale for 4 → Hold for 4 → Exhale for 6
Repeat for 5–10 minutes.

This helps transition your body from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest.

3. Eat Mindfully

When stressed, many of us eat quickly or turn to foods that worsen bloating.

Try to:

• Chew slowly

• Avoid multitasking while eating

• Pair meals with a cup of Digestive Herbata

Mindful eating alone can dramatically improve bloating.

4. Support Your Microbiome

Stress can disrupt the gut microbiome, but prebiotic and probiotic foods help restore balance:

Probiotics: yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut
Prebiotics: garlic, onions, bananas, asparagus

Supporting your microbiome is a powerful way to reduce sensitivity and bloating.

5. Move Your Body Gently

Simple movements help release tension and stimulate digestion.

Great options include:

• Walking

• Gentle stretching

• Restorative yoga

Your body digests best when it feels safe and supported.

Reconnecting with Your Body

For years, I didn’t realise how deeply stress was affecting my digestion. Understanding the mind–gut connection changed everything. Adding simple rituals—like sipping The Digestive Herbata or practicing deep breathing—helped me feel more in control again.

If stress and bloating have been taking a toll on you, start small. Listen to your body. Support it gently. Little rituals add up, and relief often begins with the smallest shifts.

References

1. "The Gut-Brain Axis and Digestive Health" - Nature Reviews Gastroenterology
   https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-018-0039-5

2. "Cortisol and Its Effects on Gut Motility" - American Journal of Physiology
   https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpgi.2002.284.4.G571

3. "Holy Basil as an Adaptogen for Stress Relief" - Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine
   https://www.jaim.in/

4. "Breathing Exercises and the Gut-Brain Connection" - Frontiers in Neuroscience
   https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2019.00415/full

HORMONAL & PROUD

Created as a brand to help women navigate the toughest moments in pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum — and practically every stage of life –– The SABI aims to change the narrative around our hormones from one of taboo, embarrassment, and loneliness to awareness and pride. As more than a wellness brand, The SABI offers a carefully-crafted line of products to carry you through your hormonal journey, including rituals, supportive tools, and ancient herbal remedies that have been tested time and time again by women and now come backed by medicine. The SABI is a blend of science and nature conceived by women who have experienced the joys and deep struggles of bringing a child into the world, the pains of a heavy, difficult period, miscarriage, and difficulty conceiving.

We offer you an invitation to get to know your body and its cycles better –– an invitation to really understand what is going on inside. Learn to use your hormonal cycle to your advantage no matter your stage of life, and know that you can support and balance your hormone levels. Look for the right sources of information. Know that there is help, and know that you’re supported.

DISCLAIMER

The SABI blog and articles are not meant to instruct or advise on medical or health conditions, but to inform. The information and opinions presented here do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals for your unique situation.