Joy and Digestion: A Surprising Connection

Here’s something you might not expect — your mood and your digestion are more closely linked than most people realize.

When you experience joy, especially that deep kind of joy that comes from connection, music, laughter, or gratitude, something changes in the body. Your nervous system shifts, your heart rate evens out, and your gut actually starts to work better.

Science is starting to catch up to what many have suspected for a long time: stress and anxiety can throw digestion off, while calm, happy moments help your digestive system work the way it’s meant to. In those moments of joy, your body produces more enzymes like pepsinogen, which help break down food and absorb nutrients.

Some people call the gut a "second brain," and for good reason. When you're feeling good, your gut feels it too.

So the next time you're with loved ones, enjoying music, sharing a meal, or just having a good laugh, remember that joy isn’t just a nice feeling. It’s part of how we stay well.

And it doesn’t cost a thing.