How to Relax Your Stomach

Medically reviewed by Janice Litza, MD

Last Updated: November 29, 2024 Fact Checked

Everyone who has ever had a stomach ache knows just how miserable they are. Whether you are nauseated, having sharp pains, or just generally feel ill, you can’t get rid of stomach unease quickly enough. Fortunately, there are several techniques that you can use ranging from calming thoughts to conventional medicine, to ease your stomach woes that are caused by everything from overeating to anxiety.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Relaxing the Muscles

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1
Visualize good health. Scientists are increasingly arguing that there is a solid connection between thoughts and physical health. The idea is that those who focus on positive thoughts or those who visualize feeling well typically have a positive physiological response. You can use this technique to help relax your stomach.^{[1]
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- Begin by relaxing. You might need a quiet space for this. Relax and become aware of your breathing.
- Picture good health. Your idea of feeling well is unique to you. Imagine your stomach feeling better, what you’d do if your stomach felt great. Be detailed. You might be able to see a mental picture or you may just have a feeling – either is appropriate.
- Take steps to bring what you imagined to reality. You were detailed in your visualization, and you can employ some of those details in your everyday life.
2
Breathe to relax your stomach. You likely breathe from your chest rather than your stomach, as most of us were taught to do. Many believe that breathing from your stomach, the way you did as an infant, offers a list of health benefits, including relaxing your stomach. Qigong breathing, or belly breathing, may take some getting used to, but is well worth the effort.^{[2]
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- If you can, breathe only through your nose.
- Take long, steady, slow breaths.
- As you inhale, focus on your breath coming in and traveling through your body, all the way to your stomach. Let your lower stomach expand to receive the breath.
- As you exhale, focus on your breath leaving your body, letting your stomach retract first.
- After you have mastered this, focus on expanding your mid-belly, and then, after that, your upper belly.
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3
Manage your stress. Stress causes a bevy or physical and mental issues, and can really do a number on your stomach. Unfortunately, stress is a part of most of our lives and isn’t completely avoidable. You can manage it, though. Think about what situations, responsibilities, or people are causing you the most stress and then develop a plan to handle each differently.^{[3]
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- Your job may be a significant source of stress for you. Consider what exactly it is about your job that is causing you to feel this way. Be as specific as possible. This will help you develop a plan.
- Finances may be causing you substantial stress. Again, isolate the issue and decide how to best resolve it.
- Your relationship may be stressful, and once you figure out what it is that is causing you stress, you can speak to your partner about changes that need to be made, such as counseling or even them taking over the laundry and trash responsibilities.
4
Progressively relax your muscles. Progressive muscle relaxation is a great technique for isolating and calming particular muscle groups on your body. Your stomach, of course, because it’s the core of your body, is full of muscles and an excellent candidate for progressive muscle relaxation.^{[4]
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Research source} You only need about 15 minutes per day and a quiet space to reap the rewards of this technique.
- The first step is to take a deep breath and flex your stomach muscles (by sucking your stomach in) as much as you can for five seconds.
- Then exhale, letting all the tension out of your muscles. Stay relaxed for 15 seconds.
- Repeat as comfortable.
- Make sure that you pay attention to how you’re feeling and stop if you feel any discomfort.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Calming an Upset Stomach Due to Anxiety

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1
Drink a cup of tea. Peppermint, ginger, lemon, or chamomile teas are wonderful stomach soothers. These plants have bacteria-fighting properties, anti-bloating properties, and oils that aid relaxation. Steep a hot cup of tea and sip it slowly to enjoy instant relief.^{[5]
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- Keep in mind that peppermint tea can be helpful in some cases, but it also has the potential to make matters worse, such as if you are experiencing heartburn or acid reflux. Pay attention to how your body responds to see if it is helpful or not.
2
Massage your stomach. It’s natural to rub the part of our body that doesn’t feel right, and your stomach is no exception. Fortunately, massage stimulates blood flow, and some say that it promotes quicker healing. Your stomach will benefit from massage, whether you’re sitting up or laying down, both because it is comforting and because you may help manipulate any blockages.^{[6]
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- You can stroke your stomach gently.
- Or you can apply firm pressure with your fingertips and massage your stomach with small circular movements.
- Use the heel of your hand to apply short or long strokes to your abdomen.
Use a heating pad or a hot water bottle filled with hot water to relax your stomach. The heat will relax your muscles and help loosen any cramps. Only apply heat for 15 minutes at a time, giving yourself a 45-minute break in between applications, and remember, heat applied to your stomach is most effective when laying down.
4
Try the NOT method. Anxiety can be especially tricky because it often masks itself with other symptoms. This can lead you to think that you just have a headache or are short of breath, or that you have a stomachache or are sweating, and you might not associate these symptoms together, or individually with anxiety. The NOT method is especially helpful with this.^{[7]
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- Notice that you are having a sensation, such as an upset stomach. Value the sensations for what they are – no more or less. Allow yourself to feel them.
- Observe the sensation and really consider how it’s making you feel. Give yourself permission to have those feelings.
- Take whatever action you think will help relieve the anxiety, which should make your stomach feel better.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Responding to IBS Symptoms

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There are some foods that may upset your stomach that seem perfectly harmless for other people. Pay attention to what your stomach is telling you after you eat, and if you don’t feel well, try omitting those foods that trigger you. Unless you see an allergist or have a specific list of foods to avoid from your physician, this is largely a trial-and-error effort and will take some time to figure out.^{[8]
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2
Avoid foods that cause gas. Gas is a natural byproduct of any food that you don’t digest. Also, some foods naturally cause gas when they are being digested. In either case, limiting gas-causing foods may relax and calm your stomach.^{[9]
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- You might be lactose intolerant, which is much different than being allergic to milk. Lactose intolerance is pretty common and is the culprit behind many upset stomachs. It often develops as people get older, and it is more prominent in certain cultures than others.
- Some vegetables, such as cauliflower, onions, cucumbers, corn, and broccoli can cause a gassy stomach.
- Other people find that starchy foods, like potatoes or pasta, upset their stomachs.
Eating smaller portions is not only great for managing your weight but is quite helpful in preventing stomach upset. It’s quite simple: the larger your portions, the more your stomach expands, the more it has to work to digest food, and the more gas you’ll produce from undigested foods. Eat smaller portions five or six times per day to help prevent an uncomfortable stomach.^{[10]
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Your stomach makes up a significant portion of the core of your body and is responsible for your abilities to sit upright and turn at the waist. Excess weight makes this more challenging for your abdominal muscle groups and can lead to stomach unrest. Also, most of your internal organs are housed in your core, and excess weight can cause your organs to get pushed or moved, causing stomach discomfort.^{[11]
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Yoga has a host of benefits, including flexibility, increased blood flow, and a sense of emotional and cognitive calm. Additionally, yoga can help relax your stomach, whether it is upset from IBS or anxiety. Sign up for a local class or pick up an instructional DVD to begin your yoga journey.^{[12]
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6
Take an over-the-counter medicine. Your local pharmacy, grocery store, or big box store has a staggering amount of over-the-counter treatments for common, non-serious stomach discomforts. Whether your stomach is upset from constipation, or IBS, or reflux, you can find a treatment for your symptoms.
- Antacids, such as Pepcid or Tums, neutralize the acid in your stomach, helping soothe reflux symptoms and unrest.^{[13]
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- If you haven’t had regular bowel movements, your stomach may be upset. Try a stool softener.^{[14]
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  Go to source} On the other hand, if you have diarrhea, and you don’t want to let it run its course, try an anti-diarrhea medicine, such as Kaopectate or Immodium.

Expert Q&A

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Question

If you have a full stomach, what can help you to relax?

Janice Litza, MD
Board Certified Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Litza is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician based in Racine, Wisconsin. With over 25 years of educational and professional experience, she has extensive experience providing full-spectrum Family Medicine, including obstetrics, newborn care, and hospital medicine. She is currently the Residency Program Director for Family Medicine at Ascension. Dr. Litza received her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and has completed additional fellowship training in Integrative Medicine through the University of Arizona.

Janice Litza, MD

Board Certified Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

You may have eaten too much, something that doesn't agree with you, or too much of processed foods. You will need to rest to allow your stomach to focus on digestion and processing the foods.

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What is something you can do when your stomach is in a knot?

Janice Litza, MD
Board Certified Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Litza is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician based in Racine, Wisconsin. With over 25 years of educational and professional experience, she has extensive experience providing full-spectrum Family Medicine, including obstetrics, newborn care, and hospital medicine. She is currently the Residency Program Director for Family Medicine at Ascension. Dr. Litza received her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and has completed additional fellowship training in Integrative Medicine through the University of Arizona.

Janice Litza, MD

Board Certified Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

Try to calm yourself and focus on doing some deep, relaxing abdominal breathing as detailed in this article.

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This is only a guide and not guaranteed to work.

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Always seek the advice of a medical professional before attempting any remedies at home.

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