Why Do We Feel Nauseous When Nervous?

Medical Video: Anxiety That Makes You Feel Nauseous | Mental Health Today, Episode 006
What situations can make nausea?
Being in a foreign public place
Nervous
Facing change
Waiting for the long-awaited moment
The connection between nervousness and stomach nausea
Tips to overcome nausea due to nervousness
1. Avoid heavy eating
2. Take a deep breath
3. Exercise lightly
4. Divert attention
5. Imagine positive things

Medical Video: Anxiety That Makes You Feel Nauseous | Mental Health Today, Episode 006

When you face a tense or thrilling situation, not only do the mind become anxious. Somehow, your body suddenly also feels bad. It is truly an inappropriate time for your body to rebel. However, did you know that feeling nervous, anxious, or tense will directly affect the body? Everyone will usually react differently when they are nervous about attacking. Some will feel nauseous as if they want to vomit when they are nervous. What is the connection between feeling nervous and your best way to deal with nausea from nervousness? Find out the full answer below.

What situations can make nausea?

Nervous can be caused by various situations and conditions. So, you can be nervous anytime, not only when you will appear in front of a crowd. Even sometimes you don't realize it, nervousness and anxiety can arise and cause you to feel nauseous suddenly. Here are various situations where nervousness can attack.

Being in a foreign public place

Many people will feel very nervous when in a new social environment. For example if you have to go to an event even though you don't know people who will attend, work in a new office, or change schools. In a strange environment, it's natural that you feel awkward and embarrassed.

Nervous

This condition occurs in people who will appear in public or do something that has a very large impact. For example, presentations in front of clients are quite important, dancers who will appear before the audience, athletes who will compete, or students who will advance thesis trial.

Facing change

Sometimes changes that will occur can make you suddenly nauseous. For example when starting a new job, moving to a city that you have never visited before, or your child wants to wander out of town. Maybe this really disturbs your mind even though you try to relax and forget it.

Waiting for the long-awaited moment

Can't wait to face certain moments can make your stomach rebel. Generally people feel nauseous because they are nervous to death when their wife is giving birth, planning a wedding, or looking forward to a vacation to your dream country.

The connection between nervousness and stomach nausea

When you feel nervous, your body will produce hormones catecholamine and adrenaline in the blood. This hormone serves to prepare the body to work harder because of threats that make you nervous. As a result, some bodily functions that are considered to have less role in protecting themselves will be rested, one of which is the digestive system. The hormone produced when nervous will suddenly release fat and glucose deposits so that the acid and enzyme levels in the stomach become chaotic. This is what causes you to feel nauseous.

Meanwhile, because the body becomes tense and gets ready to face threats, some muscles will contract. Your abdominal muscles will also contract and tighten. This risks putting pressure on your stomach so that nausea appears like you want to vomit something. These various physical reactions are spontaneous. You cannot control or stop the body from the process of surviving threats, even though the real threat you face is psychological, not physical.

Tips to overcome nausea due to nervousness

Nausea that arises when you feel nervous is not going to help you feel more calm. In many cases, people actually become more anxious because nausea is felt to be very uncomfortable and disturbing. To overcome nausea due to nervousness, pay attention to the following precise methods.

1. Avoid heavy eating

If you are faced with a situation that makes you nervous, you should avoid foods that are fatty, unhealthy, and too heavy. Eating enough healthy food will help you control the digestive system so that you don't easily rebel and feel nauseous. However, make sure the stomach is not empty because of the risk of causing nausea and stomach ulcers.

2. Take a deep breath

To reduce stress and pressure that makes you sick due to nervousness, the correct breathing technique can help you. Start by standing or sitting upright and close your eyes. Breathe as slowly as possible, about 5 seconds to breathe through your nose. Hold for about 4 seconds. Slowly exhale through the mouth for 7 seconds. Repeat until the nausea decreases.

3. Exercise lightly

Calm your mind by exercising. If you are waiting for your turn to appear in public, take a walk or stretch your muscles. However, if you have free time, you can exercise harder such as running, swimming, or cycling. By doing this, the muscles that tighten, especially the abdominal muscles, will become weaker. Exercising is also capable of producing endorphins which can help get rid of nervousness.

4. Divert attention

When you are overwhelmed by anxiety and nervousness, your mind is difficult to control. For that, talk to friends or family to divert your mind. You can also play games, reading books, or exploring cyberspace.

5. Imagine positive things

One reason you feel nauseous because of nervousness is a fear of failure, disappointment, and shame. So, change your mindset even if only for a moment and imagine everything that is the opposite of what you fear. For example, you are nervous on the first date. Try to imagine the date will go smoothly, your date turns out to be very friendly to you, and you managed to impress him. Your thoughts will make you more calm and optimistic.