Stress sure turns tummies into anatomical gymnasts, with insides all entwined! “Butterfly” flutter and flapping feelings, often have dreaded cramps following closely behind.

Our gut holds more neurons than our spinal cord, allowing both head and gut, have their own brains on board. Both absolutely receive impulses, record experiences and respond to emotions. As with Siamese twins, each brain affects the other’s notions.

Our gut brain has its own nerve network of learning, remembering, and producing “gut feelings” influencing decisions with surety of a booking clerk. For instance, eating just before bed, kindles nightmares to ensue, while shift work routinely partners with bowel discomfort resembling any flu. Our sleeping head brain produces 90-minute slow wave cycles, interrupted by episodic rapid eye movement dreaming. Without pre-bed snacking, our gut brain also produces 90-minute slow wave muscle contraction cycles, marked with short bursts of rapid muscle movement streaming. Bedtime eating and shift work sleep loss, alter physiologic cycle trickles, dooming us to nightmare scares, and tummy ache pickles.

Normal fear and stress, unite head and gut brains to release catecholamine, causing a “butterfly” flurry. Moderate fear and stress, generate nausea and heartburn “Maalox Moments” in a hurry. Extreme fear and stress, combine head and gut brains to release immune system prostaglandins and histamines launching multiple cramping and diarrhea “bathroom blast? Unwanted scenes.

Since our gut sources the majority of mood neurotransmitter serotonin depressed patients learn when taking serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, bowel side effects often opt in. The gut also produces enkephalins natural body opiates. Meaning when receiving pain medication like oxycodone or morphine causes gut opiate overload, prompting constipation upsets.

When it comes to gut feelings, It’s a Funny Feeling to know while head and gut brain store past RELATIONSHIPS, recurring fear and stress awaken “gut feelings “reliving butterfly, nausea, heartburn, and diarrhea responses, from previously experienced biological SCRIPTS.

Copyright Alan P. Xenakis, MD, Doc X MD and Audra RN Funny Feelings Air Date 20180830