Last updated: October 2026
Yes, anxiety can upset your stomach. Your gut and brain are wired together, so worry can cause butterflies, nausea, stomach ache, cramps, diarrhoea or loss of appetite. It usually eases as the anxiety settles. But stomach symptoms have many causes, so see a GP if they keep coming back, and get urgent help for severe pain or bleeding.
Below: why anxiety affects your stomach, what it feels like, the link with IBS, how to calm an anxious stomach, how to tell it apart from something else, and when to see a GP.
Call 999 or go to A&E if stomach pain comes on very suddenly or is severe, it hurts to touch your stomach, you’re vomiting blood or something that looks like ground coffee, your poo is bloody or black and sticky, or you feel sick with chest pain that spreads to your arms, back, neck or jaw, or you’re short of breath. These are NHS emergency signs, not anxiety.
Why does anxiety affect your stomach?
Your gut and your brain talk to each other constantly, through nerves (including the vagus nerve), hormones and immune signals. Researchers call this the gut-brain axis, and a review in Nature Reviews Neuroscience describes it as a two-way communication system that affects both digestion and how we feel.
When you feel anxious, your body switches into fight-or-flight mode. Stress hormones such as adrenaline prepare you to deal with a threat, and digestion is not a priority. A review of stress and the gut lists the main effects:
- Changes in gut movement. Food can move faster (loose poo, urgency) or slower (bloating, constipation).
- A more sensitive gut. Stress turns up how strongly you feel normal gut sensations, so ordinary churning can feel like pain.
- Changes in stomach secretions and blood flow to the gut lining.
- Effects on your gut bacteria over the longer term. See gut health.
The link runs both ways. A 12-year Australian study of 1,002 adults found that people with higher anxiety were more likely to develop gut problems such as IBS later, and people who started with gut problems were more likely to become anxious. So a sore stomach can feed worry, and worry can feed a sore stomach.
Anxiety stomach symptoms
The NHS lists stomach problems among the physical symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder, and “a churning stomach” and nausea among the symptoms of a panic attack. Common ways an anxious stomach shows up:
| Symptom | What it often feels like |
|---|---|
| Butterflies | Fluttering, churning or a “knot” in your stomach before something stressful |
| Nausea | Queasy, sometimes retching, often worse first thing or before an event |
| Stomach ache or cramps | A dull ache, tightness or cramping, often low in the tummy |
| Diarrhoea or urgency | Needing the toilet suddenly, especially before exams, interviews or travel |
| Indigestion | Burning or discomfort high in the tummy; the NHS says stress and anxiety can cause it or make it worse |
| Loss of appetite | Not feeling hungry, or feeling full after a few mouthfuls; the NHS lists eating too much or too little as a sign of stress |
| Bloating | Swollen or tight tummy, sometimes with wind |
Stomach symptoms often come alongside other signs of anxiety, such as a racing heart, tight chest, dizziness and tense muscles. See anxiety symptoms, anxiety chest pain and anxiety dizziness, and our wider guide to stress symptoms. Some people swing the other way and eat more when anxious: see emotional eating.
Can anxiety make you feel sick?
Yes. The NHS lists anxiety as one of the causes of feeling sick, and nausea is a common symptom during a panic attack. Anxiety nausea tends to come in waves, build before a stressful event and ease as you calm down. Some people retch or are sick, especially if they haven’t eaten.
If nausea arrives with a pounding heart, shaking and a sense of dread, it may be a panic attack. Our guide on how to stop a panic attack walks you through it. If you’re being sick, keep sipping fluids, as the NHS warns that vomiting can lead to dehydration.
Anxiety stomach ache every morning
Many people notice their anxious stomach most first thing: waking with a knot in the tummy, nausea at breakfast or needing the toilet before leaving the house. Worry about the day ahead, an empty stomach and a strong coffee on top can all pile up.
- Get up and do a few minutes of slow breathing before checking your phone.
- Try something small and plain to eat, even if you’re not hungry.
- Have coffee with or after food rather than instead of it. See is coffee on an empty stomach bad for you?
For more on why mornings can be the worst time, see morning anxiety.
Anxiety and IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) causes stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation that come and go. The NHS lists stress and anxiety among its triggers, alongside alcohol, caffeine, and spicy or fatty food.
The overlap is large. A 2019 meta-analysis of 73 studies found that about 39% of people with IBS had anxiety symptoms, and they had around three times the odds of anxiety compared with people without IBS.
That’s why NICE guidance on IBS asks clinicians to encourage relaxation time and physical activity, and to consider CBT, hypnotherapy or other psychological therapy for people whose symptoms continue after 12 months of medicines. A 2020 review of 41 trials found that CBT and gut-directed hypnotherapy had the strongest evidence for easing IBS symptoms, though the authors noted the trials had a high risk of bias.
If your anxious stomach comes with bloating and a change in your poo most weeks, it’s worth asking a GP about IBS. The NHS suggests seeing a GP if you think you have IBS and symptoms have lasted more than 4 weeks. If you’ve read about CBD and IBS, our guide to what the research on CBD and IBS shows covers the evidence honestly: CBD isn’t a treatment for IBS.
How to calm an anxious stomach
These steps help in the moment and over time. None of them replace seeing a GP if symptoms persist.
- Slow your breathing. The NHS breathing exercise for stress is to breathe gently into your belly, counting to 5 on the way in and 5 on the way out, for at least 5 minutes. Practising it regularly gives the most benefit. See box breathing for another pattern.
- Eat small and often. For nausea, the NHS suggests smaller, more frequent meals, eating slowly, and avoiding greasy, fried or strong-smelling food. Its IBS advice also says not to skip or delay meals.
- Try ginger or peppermint tea. The NHS suggests ginger or peppermint tea, ginger foods, fresh air and sipping a cold drink to ease nausea. A review of clinical trials found ginger helped with nausea at around 1,500mg a day in divided doses, mostly in pregnancy and after chemotherapy or surgery rather than anxiety. Ask a pharmacist before taking ginger supplements if you take any medicine.
- Cut back on caffeine and alcohol. The NHS advises people with IBS to keep to no more than 3 caffeinated drinks a day and to avoid drinking lots of alcohol or fizzy drinks. Caffeine can also make anxiety itself feel worse: see does caffeine cause anxiety?
- Move. Regular physical activity is part of NICE’s self-help advice for IBS, and many people find a walk takes the edge off nervous energy.
- Loosen tight clothing around your waist and avoid lying down straight after eating, both NHS tips for nausea.
- Notice the fear loop. Worrying about your stomach makes it more sensitive, which makes you worry more. If you keep checking symptoms or fear something serious, see health anxiety.
- Treat the anxiety itself. The NHS says GPs usually suggest talking therapy, most often CBT, before medicine for anxiety. Adults in England can refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP first. Our guide on how to deal with anxiety covers the options.
If an evening wind-down helps you, our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex is a caffeine-free drink, and magnesium contributes to normal psychological function. It isn’t a treatment for anxiety or stomach problems. It contains some magnesium citrate, and the NHS notes that high doses of magnesium over a short time can cause diarrhoea, so if your stomach is sensitive, start with a smaller serving.
Is it anxiety or something else?
You can’t always tell, and anxiety can sit alongside a physical problem. Most stomach aches aren’t serious and go away within a few days, but the NHS lists signs that need checking. Use this as a guide, not a diagnosis.
| More typical of an anxious stomach | Get it checked | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Comes with worry or before stressful events, eases as you calm down | Doesn’t go away, keeps coming back or gets much worse (urgent GP or 111) |
| Pain | Butterflies, churning, a dull ache or cramps | Sudden or severe pain, or it hurts to touch your stomach (999) |
| Bowels | A short bout of loose poo when nervous | Blood in your poo, bleeding from your bottom, black poo, or changes that are unusual for you (GP, urgently if bloody); diarrhoea for more than 7 days (111) |
| Sickness | Queasy waves that pass | Keep being sick, or vomiting blood or “ground coffee” (999) |
| Weight | Appetite dips for a day or two | Losing weight without trying (GP) |
| Swallowing | Normal | Difficulty swallowing (GP) |
| Other | Racing heart, sweating, fast breathing during a panic | Sickness with chest pain spreading to arms, back, neck or jaw, or shortness of breath (999) |
Other common causes of stomach pain include trapped wind, indigestion, constipation, a stomach bug, period pain and, less often, appendicitis, gallstones or kidney stones. Don’t assume it’s anxiety until a doctor has ruled these out.
When to see a GP
See a GP if:
- you feel sick and it doesn’t get better within a few days, or keeps coming back
- stomach pain keeps returning, or you’re worried
- you have any change in your poo that’s unusual for you, blood in your poo or bleeding from your bottom (the NHS says try not to be embarrassed)
- you’re losing weight without trying, find it hard to swallow or keep being sick
- you think you might have IBS and symptoms have lasted more than 4 weeks
- anxiety is affecting your daily life, or treatment isn’t helping
A GP can check for physical causes, and if anxiety is behind it, talk you through treatment options such as talking therapy or medicine. If you feel overwhelmed or in crisis, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, or Samaritans on 116 123.
FAQs
Can anxiety cause stomach problems?
Yes. The gut and brain are closely linked, so anxiety can cause butterflies, nausea, stomach ache, cramps, indigestion, diarrhoea and loss of appetite. See a GP if symptoms keep coming back.
What does an anxiety stomach feel like?
Usually a churning, fluttering or knotted feeling, queasiness, a dull ache or cramps, or a sudden need for the toilet. It often comes with worry, a racing heart or tense muscles and eases as you calm down.
How do I calm an anxious stomach fast?
Slow your breathing into your belly for at least 5 minutes, sip a cold drink or ginger or peppermint tea, get some fresh air, loosen tight clothing and eat something small and plain if you’ve gone without.
Can anxiety cause nausea every day?
Ongoing anxiety can cause frequent nausea, often worst in the morning. But the NHS says to see a GP if you feel sick and it doesn’t improve within a few days or keeps coming back, to rule out other causes.
Can anxiety cause stomach ulcers?
Not directly. The NHS says the main causes of stomach ulcers are H. pylori infection and regular use of anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen. Stress and anxiety can make ulcer symptoms worse.
Is it anxiety or IBS?
It can be both. Stress and anxiety are common IBS triggers, and people with IBS have around three times the odds of anxiety. If you have cramps, bloating and changes in your poo for more than 4 weeks, see a GP.
Sources
- NHS. Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and Stress.
- NHS. Where to get urgent help for mental health.
- NHS. Panic disorder.
- NHS. Feeling sick (nausea).
- NHS. Stomach ache.
- NHS. Symptoms of IBS and IBS diet, lifestyle and medicines.
- NHS. Symptoms of bowel cancer.
- NHS. Indigestion, Stomach ulcer and Diarrhoea and vomiting.
- NHS. Breathing exercises for stress and NHS Talking Therapies.
- NHS. Vitamins and minerals: magnesium.
- NICE (2008, updated 2017). Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: diagnosis and management (CG61).
- Mayer EA (2011). Gut feelings: the emerging biology of gut-brain communication. Nature Reviews Neuroscience.
- Konturek PC et al (2011). Stress and the gut: pathophysiology, clinical consequences, diagnostic approach and treatment options. Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology.
- Koloski NA et al (2012). The brain-gut pathway in functional gastrointestinal disorders is bidirectional: a 12-year prospective population-based study. Gut.
- Zamani M et al (2019). The prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review with meta-analysis. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
- Black CJ et al (2020). Efficacy of psychological therapies for irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and network meta-analysis. Gut.
- Nikkhah Bodagh M et al (2019). Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: a systematic review of clinical trials. Food Science and Nutrition.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex.
