Digestion and gut: how does deadline stress affect the stomach?

Chronic stress, which IT professionals often face during burning deadlines, directly impacts the digestive system. There is a constant two-way connection between the brain and the gut, known as the brain-gut axis. When a person experiences nervous tension, the body goes into survival mode, activating the sympathetic nervous system and producing stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

In a state of stress, blood flow is redistributed from the digestive organs to the muscles and brain, causing the secretion of digestive enzymes to drop sharply. This leads to spasms of the smooth muscles of the intestines, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or, conversely, constipation. Prolonged nervous tension can also alter the composition of the microbiome, destroying beneficial bacteria and increasing intestinal wall permeability.

To protect your stomach under high workloads, it is important to apply comprehensive anti-stress strategies. They will help reduce anxiety levels and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.