TRYING TO KEEP CALM GOING WRONG: THE BIOLOGY OF NERVOUSNESS


 

You’re about to step on stage. Or enter an exam room. Or walk into a first date.
Suddenly, your stomach flips. Your heart pounds. Your palms sweat. What is it? Aren't you prepared? Didn't you go over everything?


Well good news is, you’re not sick. Bad news is you’re nervous.

This shouldn't worry you though, but well you are worried.

That fluttery, uneasy sensation in your gut? It’s not just “in your head.”

If there is a news flash about this, it’s probably your nervous system and your digestive system having a conversation, and they’re not whispering.

Let’s explore the biology behind those butterflies in your stomach.

Meet the Gut-Brain Connection

Your brain and your gut are deeply linked through what’s called the gut-brain axis, a two-way communication system. Just like you and whoever texts you faster than you blink. The connections involves:

- The central nervous system (CNS) — your brain and spinal cord

- The enteric nervous system (ENS) — the "second brain" in your gut

- The vagus nerve — a massive nerve superhighway connecting both, the brain and gut.

This connection allows your brain and gut to send signals back and forth constantly, regulating digestion, emotion, and even mood.

Step 1: The Stress Response Kicks In

When you're anxious or anticipating something big, your brain activates the sympathetic nervous system. The part of your autonomic nervous system responsible for the fight-or-flight response. Basically, it's like an alarm system that awakens preparations against danger.

Therefore, in relation with getting prepped for danger, it triggers:

- Release of stress hormones (like adrenaline and cortisol)

- Increased heart rate and blood pressure

- Increased alertness and muscle tension

- Decreased digestion, because your body thinks it's time to fight, not eat

This sudden shift affects your gut, leading to sensations like:

- Tightness or fluttering in your stomach

- Nausea

- “Needing to go” (yep, that's also common under stress)

Step 2: The Brain Sends a Gut-Wide Alert

The amygdala, the brain’s emotional processing center, signals the rest of the brain and body when it detects fear or anxiety.

The vagus nerve carries that alert down to your gut, disrupting normal digestive activity and contributing to that uncomfortable "fluttering" feeling.

At the same time, your enteric nervous system, a network of over 100 million neurons in your digestive tract, responds independently, adjusting gut muscle contractions and sensitivity.

Why “Butterflies”? A Closer Look

While it’s not literal butterflies, the sensation has a real biological explanation:

- Blood is redirected away from your stomach to muscles (for “survival”)

- Digestive activity slows, causing tension and movement changes. That is why things vomiting or excretion tends to be very common in these moments

- Gut muscles contract unpredictably, leading to the fluttery, ticklish sensation

It's your body preparing to react, not digest.

Fun Fact: Your Gut Makes Neurotransmitters Too

Your gut produces about 90% of your body's serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation, digestion, and more. This makes your gut a key player in emotional and neurological health.

That’s why your gut is sometimes called your “second brain.”

Can You Calm the Butterflies?

Yes, and it starts with calming your nervous system:

- Deep breathing: Stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest-and-digest" mode), helping reverse the stress response.

- Mindfulness & grounding: Can help shift focus from imagined fears to the present.

- Light movement: Walking or gentle stretching can help burn off stress hormones.

- Gut-friendly food & habits: Long-term gut health supports better stress resilience too.

Final Thoughts from the Biolab desk: Your Gut Feels Your Feelings

The next time you feel butterflies in your stomach before a big moment, remember, that it's not weakness. It’s not random.
It’s your nervous system doing its job, getting you ready to face a challenge.

And the best part? With awareness and practice, you can learn to soothe those butterflies, and even make them work for you.

Anything else you'd like to know about nervousness? Feel free to let us know in the comments.

 


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