How does stress land in your gut?

1. When you're under pressure, where do you feel it first? Not really anywhere physical Tense shoulders, jaw or chest My stomach — knots, nausea, urgency Both body and gut, most days

Why we ask: Gut-first stress responses are one of the most commonly reported signs of an active gut-brain loop.

2. After something stressful, how long until you genuinely feel settled? Minutes An hour or two The rest of the day Days

Why we ask: Recovery speed matters more than peak stress. A system that comes back down quickly is a resilient one.

3. How often do you do something that deliberately downshifts you — slow breathing, a walk, quiet time? Daily A few times a week Rarely Never

Why we ask: Slow exhales and unhurried movement are the cheapest available lever on vagal tone.

4. Do your digestive symptoms track with your stressful stretches? No pattern I can see Sometimes Clearly — they move together

Why we ask: A tight correlation is the clearest everyday evidence that the axis is running in both directions.

5. How often do you eat rushed, distracted or at your desk? Rarely — meals are their own thing Some meals Most meals

Why we ask: Digestion is a rest-and-digest process; eating in a stress state changes how the meal is handled.

6. Do you wake in the night with your mind running? Rarely Occasionally Most weeks Most nights

Why we ask: Night-time arousal is a common marker of a stress axis that hasn't finished its day.