Why does your stomach feel like butterflies when you’re nervous?

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Butterflies in the stomach aren’t an indication of your diet before an exam or event.

Have you ever felt a bizarre butterfly-like fluttering in your stomach before a major performance or interview, or a big first date?

It might feel like there are butterflies in your gut, however, this experience actually stems from the body’s nervous system.

The brain communicates with the stomach; through nerves which create the gut-brain connection, these have their own individual system which works the gut functions on a much more complex level than simply feeling emotions.

The feeling known as butterflies stems from the brain sending out nervous system signals when it is worried

It is a part of the fight-or-flight response this creates stress signals and hormones, preparing the body to cope with perceived threats.

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These same signals travel through nerve channels and affect the movement of the gut which cause the intestines to work in an odd fashion; leading to cramp like feelings in the stomach and/or the digestive canal.

This sensation can be experienced as nausea; if stronger emotional responses are felt a feeling of desperation and the urge to visit the loo may result due to similar effects from the nervous systems effect of stress signals.

But, funnily enough, not only does fear and worry induce this nervous response, happiness; anticipatory and romantic thoughts will also effect these.

It may be part of what signals our hormones to start making different chemicals in our brains.

So it seems the reason for the unsettling butterfly sensation we may feel is no more than our brain and the tummy talking and reminding our body that any emotions cause physical effects.

Also Read: Childhood NCDs: warning signs parents should not ignore

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