Butterflies in my stomach 🦋🦋
- Nqoba Maryln Sibenke
- May 24, 2024
- 3 min read
"Butterflies in the stomach” is a real experience for most of us. While it is a common everyday phrase, it does have a psychological connotation. You have probably experienced butterflies in the stomach often . This fluttery feeling is often associated with excitement, anxiety, stress or even love.
An interesting fact is that butterflies in the stomach are linked to the gut-brain connection. The gut and the brain are connected through the central nervous system. The "little brain" in the gut as the enteric nervous system is called, is the branch of the autonomic nervous system which is responsible for communication between the brain and the gut.
Neural communication takes place through the presence of neurotransmitters. These are chemicals which enable information to pass through the nervous system.. One fascinating aspect is the fact that Serotonin a major neurotransmitter responsible for mood regulation is produced mostly in the gastro intestinal system(GI). This therefore means there's is a connection between mood regulation and physiological processes controlled by the Gastrointestinal tract.
The brain and the gastro intestinal system have an intimate relationship so to say . This means that there is a communication channel which links the central nervous system and the GI system. Have you ever experienced an upset stomach just when you were preparing a speech for a big event? Or suddenly felt nauseous at the thought of traveling? Or when you are stressed then you suddenly have a change in bowel movement? This is because of the communication that takes place between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system which is the nervous system of the GI system. This is called the brain-gut axis.
Our body produces different hormones when we are in different situations for example the fight or flight hormone (Adrenaline) , cortisol the stress hormone and the famous love hormone oxytocin. These hormones are responsible for different responses for example aggression as a result of Adrenaline, high stress levels due to increase in Cortisol or a warm fuzzy feeling due to Oxytocin. Hence hormones play a critical role in mood, and behavior.
In addition to hormones the nervous system communicates through neuro transmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals which pass information from one neuron to the next. We can call them messengers. Examples of neurons include serotonin, acetylcholine and dopamine . These are active in neural communication.
Release of Serotonin by the enteric nervous system as communication to the gut influences our mood and emotions.This what is we call the gut-feelings, which are the emotions and mood that are influenced by the communication between the CNS and the ENS.
In response to anxiety or excitement the Adrenaline hormone is produced and in some cases Cortisol. This creates a response that is both psychological and also physical. The psychological response includes the emotions that we previously discussed which may be anxiety , fear , agression etc . The stress hormones also result in physical pain or symptoms like nausea or stomach discomfort and these are what we have termed “butterflies in the stomach".
Similarly in the GI system there’s a process which influences these “butterflies “. Through the production of microbiome produced in the gut the CNS and ENS are influenced. The relationship between the brain and gut is two ways. This means that activity in the GI tract also influences the nervous system as much as activity in the nervous system affects the GI tract.The cycle of communication is very consistent between the ENS and CNS and as such it creates a pattern of responses. This is why we experience the same emotions or mood for a particular situation regardless of its occurrence.
Physical health can never be separated from emotional health. As witnessed in the Gut-brain communication patterns and how they can influence both physical and psychological well-being. One of my favorite author emphasises thé connection between these two systems; "The affliction of the stomach affects the brain. "
Experiencing butterflies in the stomach because you are nervous, excited or anxious? Or are you experiencing actual pain and discomfort in the stomach? Changes in bowel movement, nausea or uneasiness? You now have a clue on what the butterflies really are.😊
A lot more can be explored in order to understand these critical processes. A list of references has been attached below. Hope you enjoy learning more about what makes us who we are. 😊🦋
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