Stress is the source of a lot of issues in the body, mind and spirit. It really can be the thief of joy, zapping your energy, erasing your memory, tightening your neck and shoulders until you can barely move without feeling pain. Its a constant reminder that deep down inside of you, something is telling you that don’t feel well. Something is not ok and you feel that coiled ball of tension deep inside of you.

One of the symptoms of deep stress is a gnawing or an unease in your stomach. You have heard the phrase, “Feeling in my gut,” or how stress can manifest as an overall unease in the stomach. Sometimes is can turn into actual digestive issues, ulcers, etc. 

One explanation for this is the physiology of fight, flight, freeze or fawn response. Blood can go to the extremities of the body and leave the vital organs. This was originally meant to be a temporary phenomenon meant to give a rush of energy to run away or fight off a danger. This, however, was meant to be a brief response for escaping a physical threat or fighting it off. However, the world our bodies evolved in is not the same one we live in now. Our primal brain can not discern the difference between a tiger jumping out of the bush to kill you and a late electric bill. The stress response and physiological impact can be the same.

One great way to reduce stress is with a little belly rub. Abdominal massage is a fantastic way to reduce stress for a multitude of reasons. The act of loving touch alone can calm an out of control nervous system by reminding your body where the present moment actually is and that it is safe. Another reason is it can promote peristalsis which is your digestive tract and muscles relaxing and functioning with ease. The most important part is to remember to go slow and with loving respect.

Materials to Try (though not required)

Lotion or oil- I personally prefer Jojoba oil.

Self- Abdominal Massage

• Place your hand over your belly button and take a deep breath in.

• Wait until you feel a settling in your body.
• You may even feel your hand sinking into your stomach.
• Slide your hand up to the very bottom of your ribcage
• Let it rest there for a moment until you feel another relaxation response or you feel your hand sinking again.
• Take a Deep Breath In.
• Take some oil or lotion in your hand and apply it down the left side of your abdomen. Moving from the bottom of the ribcage to the top of the hip bone.
• Rub your hand along the bottom of your belly over the pubic bone moving from left to right
• Move up the right side of the stomach from the hip bone to the bottom of the ribcage.
• Keep this circulator motion from moving down on the left, over to the right and up on the right to the left.
• This follows the route of your digestive system (you do not want to move the other way.)
• Using the side of your hand, scoop from the “corners” of the abdomen, moving from the corner of the right ribcage area down to the belly button.
• Repeat moving from the right hip to the belly button.
• Repeat moving from the left hip to the belly button.
• Repeat moving from the left ribcage to the belly button.

-Move back to circular movements moving down on the left side, over to the right, up on the right and move over to the left.

Repeat as many times as it calls to you.