Being nervous is never easy or fun. You may feel your heart pounding, your palms sweating and your stomach shaking and cramping. Some people experience these symptoms when a situation approaches that makes them anxious, for example before giving a presentation, while for others it is a more common inconvenience, caused by normal daily stress. Regardless of when symptoms occur, learning to manage anxiety and relax your stomach can help you be less nervous and more peaceful.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Dealing with External Causes
Step 1. Analyze how you feel
To understand the best way to relieve stomach pain, the first thing to do is to thoroughly analyze the symptoms. This process will help you better identify the type of disorder, giving you the opportunity to understand which are the most suitable solutions to regain your calm. Nervous stress stomach pain usually manifests itself through the following symptoms:
- Stomach bite;
- Feeling of having your stomach throbbing
- Feeling of stomach upset, agitated;
- Nausea or bloating
- Feeling of heat and tension in the stomach.
Step 2. Rehearse in advance
Sometimes it is possible to relieve some of the tension simply by being able to have more confidence in ourselves in a given situation. For example, if you need to give a presentation, go out on a first date, or have an interview in the next few days, experiment to try and feel less nervous. Try to imagine the circumstances that make you agitated and visualized as you achieve your goals by behaving casually and confidently. Do some research that will allow you to feel prepared by considering all possible topics of conversation. However, do not expect to plan every moment in an ultra-specific way so as not to give you the opportunity to worry even more.
Step 3. Address yourself in positive terms
Ahead of a date that makes you nervous, hundreds of thoughts are likely swirling around in your mind. Anxiety generally goes hand in hand with pessimism and negativity, so stress and stomach cramps only increase. Being able to stop this flow of negative thoughts using relaxation techniques, for example with meditation, can take months of practice. If you need a quick and effective remedy right away, all you need to do is turn those negative thoughts into positive affirmations. For example, try repeating yourself:
- "I'm prepared and I can do it";
- "I am the best candidate for this job, I am qualified and professional";
- "I want to be successful and for this I will succeed."
Step 4. Don't force yourself to act hastily
When you feel rushed, panic and anxiety inevitably double. To avoid this, start preparing in advance so that you have plenty of time to prepare the material and arrive at your destination before the starting time. This way you will feel that you have things under control and you can take advantage of the extra time to try to relax and to use the bathroom, finding relief from the symptoms of stomach pain. However, if you arrive more than 15 minutes early, in some cases you may be forced to wait outside, so arriving at your destination too early could turn into a disadvantage.
Step 5. Avoid caffeine
It is a stimulating substance that amplifies the effects of adrenaline in difficult situations. Caffeine activates the sympathetic nervous system and can induce a "fight or flight" reaction. Certain drinks that contain caffeine, such as coffee and energy drinks, can also irritate the stomach. Try to do without it in view of a stressful situation, not only so as not to further upset the stomach, but also to avoid triggering the effects of adrenaline. Instead, drink a glass of cool water, it will give you a pleasant refreshment, also arousing the mind and hydrating the body.
Part 2 of 2: Managing Nervous Stomach Pain
Step 1. Learn to do breathing exercises
Focusing on your breath and inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply is perhaps the easiest way to calm your stomach when you are nervous. In stressful situations, most people involuntarily tend to take quick, shallow breaths, which have the disadvantage of further accelerating the heartbeat. In this way the production of adrenaline increases and feeds the state of anxiety. Learning to calm your breathing allows you to oxygenate the body better, reduce the effects of adrenaline and calm the stomach.
Inhale slowly through your mouth and exhale just as slowly through your nose
Step 2. Relax with aromatherapy
It is a technique that uses the fragrances of essential oils extracted from different types of herbs, fruits, flowers and barks to positively influence the mood. Lavender and lemon are two of the most used to induce relaxation and relieve stress. You can buy scented oils to massage into the skin or you can use an essential oil diffuser to spread the fragrance into the room. When you feel the need to relax, you can also smell them briefly or apply them to one of the points on the body that allow you to detect the heart rate, for example on the wrists.
Step 3. Eat foods that calm your stomach
When you feel agitated because you are nervous, you can resort to the properties of some specific foods that contain enzymes and substances that can relax the digestive system. If you feel nauseous and don't want to eat, you can take advantage of the properties of these ingredients in the form of melt-in-the-mouth candies:
- Honey has calming properties and creates a protective coating inside the stomach;
- Mint induces a state of relaxation in smooth muscle tissues, including those of the stomach;
- Ginger, fresh or candied, contains substances that relieve nausea;
- Papaya contains an enzyme that aids digestive functions and has anti-inflammatory properties;
- Alternatively, drink a glass of warm water in which you have dissolved a tablespoon of baking soda. The digestive juices will leave the stomach and facilitate the passage of food along the small intestine.
Step 4. Try to relax your body, one part at a time
This technique is called progressive muscle relaxation. When you feel tense and feel like your stomach is in a vise, try standing still, with your eyes closed to try to identify which parts of your body are contracted the most, then try to release those tensions. Take deep breaths as you relax your arms first and then gradually relax your legs, back, neck, chest, and abdomen. Focus on the body instead of thoughts to calm the mind. Repeated consistently, this technique can teach the body to independently relax the muscles, even those of the stomach.
Step 5. Treat yourself with medication
While it is always best to avoid taking medication, stomach pain can sometimes become unbearable or persistent. If the techniques discussed so far have not worked, you can discuss with your doctor about using medications to relieve stomach pain symptoms. Over-the-counter medicines that may prove useful in these cases include those that are based on the following active ingredients:
- Calcium carbonate;
- Bismuth subsalicylate;
- Magnesium hydroxide;
- Acetylsalicylic acid;
- Phosphoric acid;
- Aluminum hydroxide;
- Magnesium hydroxide.
Advice
- If stomach pain caused by nervousness persists despite using recommended techniques or over-the-counter medications, see your doctor to see if a physical ailment, such as a bacterial infection, gastric reflux, intolerance to blood may be causing it. lactose or irritable bowel syndrome.
- Try talking to someone about the reasons that make you nervous and cause stomach pain. You can relate to a therapist, family member, friend, or partner. They may give you some helpful tips to calm your nerves, and just talking about them may make you feel better.
- If waiting is making you nervous, visualize yourself successfully passing the test you are about to face.
