Nervous system regulation
Nervous system regulation plays a crucial role in the experience and management of gut disorders. The gut and brain are in constant communication via the gut-brain axis, a two-way connection involving the vagus nerve and the autonomic nervous system. When the nervous system becomes dysregulated—often due to chronic stress, trauma, or ongoing anxiety—this communication can become disrupted, leading to heightened gut sensitivity, altered motility, and increased symptoms such as bloating, cramping, diarrhoea, and constipation. For many people living with functional gut disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) & Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), these symptoms are not just physical—they’re deeply intertwined with emotional and nervous system patterns.
Trauma, whether developmental or situational, can have a profound impact on gut function. When the body perceives ongoing threat or remains stuck in a fight, flight, or freeze state, digestive processes are deprioritized as part of the body's survival response. This chronic state of hyper- or hypo-arousal can lead to long-standing gut issues. Many individuals with gut disorders report a history of trauma or chronic stress, which can cause the nervous system to become more reactive and the gut more sensitive to normal sensations. Nervous system regulation is therefore a vital part of gut-focused therapy, especially when symptoms persist despite dietary or medical interventions.
Polyvagal Theory offers a powerful framework for understanding and addressing these responses. It explains how the vagus nerve—particularly the ventral vagal branch—supports safety, social engagement, and calm digestive function. Through therapeutic strategies such as mindfulness, grounding techniques, breathwork, body-based awareness, and co-regulation in the therapeutic relationship, individuals can learn to shift out of survival states and back into a regulated, safe physiological state. This not only improves overall emotional well-being but can significantly reduce the intensity and frequency of gut symptoms. By working with the nervous system instead of against it, clients are empowered to create lasting changes in both how they feel and how their gut responds.