Stress, Digestion, and Energy: The Nervous System Connection

We are busy, on the go, and absorbing lots of information daily.

This is the modern life that many of us are living.

We need the energy to keep up, and the boundaries and tools to not get overloaded, and when we do, to be able to come back to center.

Today I want to talk about the relationship between our stress levels, our energy & digestion. 

First off I want to say that stress isn’t bad. It’s necessary to get us moving, but sometimes it gets to be too much. One way to identify if you’re handling too much stress is through how you’re processing your food. 

Sometimes I am preparing and eating perfectly balanced meals for myself thinking this should give me the energy I need to feel great, but instead I am left feeling bloated, heavy, and tired afterwards.

Sound familiar? Why does this happen?

The answer is because the nervous system is stuck in fight or flight under high stress, and we are not feeling safe enough to rest and digest. 

The Nervous System Is the Gatekeeper

Stress isn’t just in your mind, it’s in your nervous system. The star player here is the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is like a highway running from your brain to your gut. It tells your body when it’s safe to “rest and digest.” When you’re stressed, that signal gets scrambled. The vagus nerve goes quiet, and your body is working for survival, not digestion.

This is why meals can sit heavy, move too quickly, or trigger bloating and discomfort, even when you’re eating all the right things. It’s not the broccoli or gluten. It’s that your body didn’t get the memo: you’re safe.

The Hidden Energy Drain

Stress hormones, which are cortisol and adrenaline, burn through minerals, deplete B vitamins, and throw off blood sugar rhythms.

Your energy can feel like it’s on a rollercoaster: wired at night, exhausted in the morning, crashing mid-afternoon.

A dysregulated nervous system keeps pulling energy like an overdraft account. And the longer it stays in survival mode, the less capacity your body has to digest, repair, and restore.

Signs your vagus nerve may not be firing on all cylinders:

• Wired but tired (alert at night, dragging in the morning)

• Afternoon crashes despite balanced meals (a little tiredness is normal - and why we have siestas 🙂)

• Sugar or caffeine cravings that feel non-negotiable

• Digestive upset after “healthy” foods

How to Wake Up the Vagus Nerve

The good news? You can actually train your vagus nerve to signal safety again. You can give your nervous system little cues that say, “It’s okay to rest now.”

Gentle practices that support vagal tone and stress reduction:

• Breathwork: Take three slow breaths before your first bite

• Posture: Sit down and relax your shoulders while you eat

• Touch: Place a hand on your belly and soften before a meal

• Nature breaks: Step outside between tasks and notice your senses

• Cold rinse: Splash your face with cold water to stimulate vagal activity

• Humming: Low humming soothes the vagus nerve

• Shaking: Releasing stuck physical tension

Simple, but to your nervous system, they’re powerful signals of safety. And when safety returns, digestion and energy follow.

Nourishment Beyond Food

Your body doesn’t just need nutrients… it needs regulation. The vagus nerve thrives on rhythm, calm, and consistent cues that life is safe. No supplement or diet tweak can replace the foundation of a regulated nervous system.

When the vagus nerve is online, your digestion improves, your energy steadies, and your body begins to trust itself again.

A Gentle Reminder

If this feels like your story….please know you’re not failing. You’re adapting to constant stress, and adaptation takes energy.

The invitation now isn’t to work harder but to soften, to breathe, to let your vagus nerve come back online. Healing often begins in those small moments. Try a long exhale, a softened jaw, and a pause before your first bite. Don’t doomscroll while you’re eating, or work on stressful assignments at lunchtime. You will absorb more nutrients this way. Also, if you can fit it in, a short walk after meals helps so much. 

That’s when your body remembers: I am safe.

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