Do you know that stress causes heartburn?
A lot of sources will tell you that stress only contribute to heartburn but don’t actually cause it however it has been shown that stress can cause heartburn because the physical processes from which heartburn results are related directly to common stressors.
Stress can be anything that strains or puts pressure on an individual’s physical being or mind. Even happy events like getting a new job, the birth of a child or celebrating the holidays with family can cause stress. Since there are many different things that can cause stress, this can take a high toll on the body. Stress can result to heartburn and it can be aggravated by the person’s inability to properly manage his stress level.
How Stress Causes Heartburn
A proof that stress causes heartburn is the occurrence of this condition during stressful times. If you fail to deal with stress properly, this can lead to worse problems like chronic acid reflux or GERD, a condition where stomach acid continuously enters the esophagus and damages the lining causing hiatal hernia, ulcer, or esophageal cancer.
The underlying cause of heartburn is acid reflux or the overproduction of acid in the stomach resulting to some of the acids splashing up the esophagus and causing the pain and burning in the chest we call heartburn. Overproduction of acid is usually a result of too much food sitting in the stomach. This is also why you often feel heartburn after a large meal. Some people who are stressed out tend to crave more foods; this is why stress causes heartburn.
Emotional stress can also have a number of effects on a person’s physical being. Doctors are learning every day the physical effects and manifestations of stress. One of the most documented physical effects of stress is an upset stomach or the inability of the stomach to process foods properly when the person is under stress. This disruption in the digestion process often results in the regurgitation of food into the esophagus.
Emotional stress causes heartburn that also affects people primarily while sleeping. Nocturnal heartburn can be the result of several factors but stress is seen as the main aggravating factor. Nocturnal heartburn may lead to more serious digestive issues and to the person’s inability to remain in a healthy state of deep sleep at night.
Beating Heartburn Caused by Stress
Since stress causes heartburn, it is just fitting to try and avoid stressors or things and activities that cause stress. For some people, the causes of their heartburn issues may be certain foods, drinking too much alcohol and smoking. Simply avoiding foods that cause heartburn and minimizing their intake of alcohol and nicotine can provide significant heartburn relief. In the case of people whose heartburn problems are mainly caused by stress, learning relaxation techniques can give them the relief they are after.
Learning how to meditate, employing physical activities or seeing a counselor can help you manage your stress-related heartburn problem. Stress can lead to other health problems aside from heartburn so avoiding stressors and knowing how to relax can help you become healthier. Now that you know that stress causes heartburn, you should start taking those relaxation techniques more seriously.
