Ever felt butterflies in your stomach before a big moment? Or noticed your stomach acting up when in stressful situations? If you have, then that’s your gut acting up —also called the Second Brain. 

The gut has its own nervous system and a direct link to the brain. Once we begin to understand how these two are connected, we begin to see our body more as one network, that;s trying to keep you balanced. 

The Science: Your Gut Talks To Your Brain Constantly

The gut and brain communicate through:

• The vagus nerve
• Neurotransmitters
• Hormones
• The microbiome — trillions of bacteria that act like chemical messengers

Here’s a fact that most people fail to realise:

Around 90% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut. 

When our gut is stressed or imbalanced, our body feels it as low energy, anxiety, irritability or fragmented sleep.

Stress And The Gut: When Your Body Feels It Before You Do

Stress rarely shows up as ‘I feel stressed’. Most often, it comes across as sudden bloating, tight stomach, loss of appetite or dull heavy feeling on the chest that can’t be explained. 

Reason – Because the gut often reacts to stress before your mind catches up. 

When you’re under pressure —your body shifts into alert mode. Digestion is no longer a priority and thus, the balance of the gut bacteria shifts rapidly. 

Over the time, it becomes a loop:

stress → gut discomfort → more stress.

What This Means For Your Health – Calmer Gut, Calmer You

Your gut isn’t just a digestive system —it’s a communicator. It signals how well you’re coping, how well you are rested and how balanced your body feels. 

Here’s what you should take away:

• Your gut and brain are always talking.
  Mood, sleep, focus — they’re all influenced by what happens in your gut.

• Small steps make a real difference.
  Slow meals, better sleep habits, gentle movement, and mindful stress reduction can help restore balance over time.

Your gut wants stability — and when you support it, you support your entire system.

If this helped you understand the gut–brain link, you’ll love our other deep dives. Join the Exactly Community —where we provide you with insights to help you take care of your body, from inside out. 

Sources: 

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine – Enteric Nervous System (“Second Brain”) overview

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-brain-gut-connection

2. Harvard Health Publishing (Harvard Medical School) – How the gut and brain communicate

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-gut-brain-connection

1. Sleep Foundation – How gut health influences sleep quality