Reasons For The “Butterflies In Stomach” Feeling And Ways To Cope

If you've ever felt nervous or excited, you may have experienced a fluttering feeling or sensation, often referred to as "butterflies." This feeling of butterflies in your stomach might arise in various situations, from meeting someone new to giving an important speech. It may also be common to experience butterflies in the stomach in the early stages of dating someone. Below, learn more about what can cause this feeling, other physical symptoms that may accompany it, and ways to cope.

What does it mean to feel butterflies in your stomach?

The feeling of "butterflies in your stomach" may refer to experiencing nervousness caused by specific events. Typically, people describe “stomach butterflies” as a fluttering sensation in the abdomen that can be brought on by intense emotions. 

For example, people who experience the "butterflies" sensations may get that feeling in their stomach when anticipating performing or during a presentation. Others may sense butterflies in their stomach when meeting someone new, in the presence of a crush, during a new relationship, starting a new job, or during other events involving any degree of the unknown. At times, having butterflies may arise as you're falling in love with someone, while at other times, butterflies can be an uncomfortable indicator that you feel nervous about something.

When butterflies may signal something more

Occasionally getting the “butterflies in stomach” feeling can be a common experience and a natural response to a stressful or nerve-wracking situation. However, if this sensation occurs frequently, is disruptive to your daily life, or occurs alongside other emotional, behavioral, or physical symptoms, it may be wise to seek professional help to determine the underlying cause, which could be a physical or mental health condition. 

"Butterflies in stomach" feeling and anxiety disorders

This "butterflies in your stomach" feeling may be experienced alongside an anxiety disorder or another mental health condition. Anxiety disorders are mental health conditions that may cause chronic excessive worrying that interferes negatively with daily life. Recognizing the differences between butterflies in the stomach and anxiety disorders can help you understand what you're experiencing.  

Common symptoms of an anxiety disorder may include the following:

• Feeling restless or on edge
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• Sleeping difficulties, such as trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or restlessness
• Difficulty controlling feelings of worry
• Muscle tension
• Experiencing issues with the digestive system, not wanting to eat
• An increase in blood pressure

The feeling of “butterflies in my stomach”: Is it normal?

Many individuals experience the feeling of butterflies in their stomachs on a less consistent basis, though these feelings may be temporary and are often brought on by a specific emotional situation. It is also important to note that for some people, the absence of butterflies in intense situations is completely normal; not everyone gets butterflies in the same way. Some people may give different words to the feeling in their stomach, such as “tingles” or “heebie-jeebies.”

Other physical symptoms that often accompany stomach butterflies

If you're unsure if you've experienced this feeling from being nervous or stressed, there are some common symptoms related to "butterflies in my stomach." If you experience the following sensations, it may be a sign of this phenomenon:

• Nausea
• A fluttery feeling in the stomach
• The feeling of having a "knot" in your stomach
• Increased heart rate
• Increased breathing rate
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Sweating and clamminess
• A pleasant tingling feeling after interacting with someone you feel romantic love or sexual interest in

Understanding why stress and anxiety can cause stomach butterflies

The body’s response to stress, also referred to as the “fight or flight” response, can involve various physical sensations, including a racing heart, sweaty palms, feeling lightheaded or dizzy, shortness of breath, muscle tension, and a “knot” or fluttering sensation in the stomach. It can also involve rapid thoughts and increased activity mentally.

Hormones and physical reactions: The body’s fight-or-flight response

The "fight-or-flight" response is the way that each of our own nervous systems prepares the body for possible danger, involving a series of hormonal changes and physiological responses. This stress response begins in the brain, when the amygdala sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus, which communicates with the rest of the body through the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary functions such as heartbeat and breathing, and it is made up of two components: the sympathetic nervous system (which triggers the fight-or-flight response) and the parasympathetic nervous system (which promotes the “rest and digest” response after the threat has passed). When the fight-or-flight response kicks in, usually in a situation that's causing you stress, your body may release stress hormones such as adrenaline. When your body feels safe once more, cortisol levels may fall, and the parasympathetic nervous system may then curb the stress response. 

The fight-or-flight response may increase your heart rate and direct blood away from your stomach and toward your arms and legs, preparing you to fight or flee. The reduced blood flow to your stomach may trigger a "butterflies" sensation. A part of the nervous system called the enteric nervous system, which refers to the nerve cells found in the digestive system, is often involved as well. This will be discussed further below. 

Once your body stops its fight-or-flight response and calms your own nervous system, more blood returns to the stomach region, and the "butterflies" feeling begins to subside. In the case of an anxiety disorder, the sense of “butterflies in my stomach” may not subside as quickly, which may indicate the benefit of reaching out to a cognitive-behavioral therapist. 

The gut-brain axis and digestive symptoms 

Another important piece in understanding the “butterflies in your stomach” sensation is the gut-brain axis. The gut-brain axis refers to the bidirectional communication that links the central nervous system with the enteric nervous system. Put simply, this means that the brain can impact intestinal activity, and the gut can impact certain aspects of cognition, mood, and mental health. Growing evidence has even shown that the gut microbiome may be a promising target for treating certain neuropsychiatric symptoms. 

In fact, researchers are exploring the effects of an emerging therapy called fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on cognitive performance in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), acting through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Research on the connections between gut microbiota and various brain regions continues to expand, and while there have been some studies on gut-based interventions, not all studies have been conducted on humans, which creates notable limitations.  

Butterflies from excitement vs. anxiety

Positive "butterflies" in your stomach or other areas of the body brought on by a romantic or sexual interest may be due to arousal, love, or related pleasurable activities or contact. Your heart may also race, or you might find yourself blushing. These symptoms are also due to a heightened nervous system, but not one brought on by danger. When the brain feels nervous, it may send that information to the stomach through the vagus nerve, stimulating a feeling of butterflies or a swoony sensation in your stomach or other regions.

How to alleviate the feeling of butterflies in your stomach 

If you are experiencing butterflies in your stomach or regularly experience symptoms of anxiety, there are things you can do that may help ease symptoms.

1. Practice intentional breathing

Research shows that breathing exercises can be an effective way to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. Incorporating breathing exercises into your daily life may be a powerful way to reduce stress and come to a place of calm and peace. To effectively practice intentional breathing, try to find a quiet place free of distractions. When you are ready, you can then try the following steps: 

1. Sit down and close your eyes. 
2. Take a deep breath through your nose, counting to five as you breathe in. 
3. Now, exhale through your mouth, counting to five as you breathe out. 
4. Focus on your breaths as you do this and become aware of any distracting thoughts. 
5. Allow thoughts to "float" through your mind without focusing on them or giving them much attention. 
6. Keep your primary focus on your breathing.

When you're done with the exercise, you might ask yourself how you feel. You may find that the physical symptoms of anxiety have dissipated.  

2. Practice self-care

Scientists have shown links between healthy habits and reduced anxiety. It may be helpful to ensure you're drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly.

While it may be difficult to completely change your lifestyle overnight, taking small steps to be more mindful of how you treat yourself every day might be beneficial in the long term. 

3. Challenge your negative thoughts

Anxiety may stem from worrying about the future, and negative thoughts could spiral into more negative thoughts. This cycle may keep you in a perpetual state of worry. When you begin to feel anxiety, it could help to ask yourself what's making you feel that way.  

Research shows that journaling can help individuals recognize negative thoughts and replace them with more positive ones. This process might help you analyze and challenge your negative thoughts, find where they are coming from, and potentially replace them with more positive thought patterns.

4. Accept uncertainty

Anxiety may stem from not knowing what the future holds. Those prone to anxiety may visualize the worst-case scenario and assume that a negative thought must be realistic. When you learn to accept that the future can be uncertain, it may help you to be more focused on the present. 

A research-based coping mechanism for working with difficult uncertainty or situations you don't want to accept is radical acceptance. It is often used in the therapy module of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and involves learning to accept what you cannot control. 

5. Visualize positive outcomes and plan for the day ahead of you

You may worry about not having complete control over how your life plays out. While you may be unable to control everything, there are some skills you can practice to feel more in control. 

It may help to keep a calendar and write down all appointments, deadlines, and important events to prepare for what's ahead and feel more in control. Consider making a to-do list of what you want to accomplish and check off the boxes as you complete tasks. 

This act of checking off boxes may feel rewarding. If there's something important coming up that you are anxious about, visualize that event having a positive outcome. Imagine how you can behave to promote this positive outcome instead of focusing on how it could go wrong.

6. Surround yourself with positivity

Try to incorporate what brings you joy into your everyday life. Surrounding yourself with things that make you happy may make it more difficult for negative thoughts to creep in. 

Whenever you feel like you're experiencing symptoms of anxiety or stress, it may help you to relax and refocus. Call a good friend, take a long bath, watch an uplifting film, or partake in anything that makes you feel happy and brings you peace.

7. Seek help if you think you could have an anxiety disorder

Anxiety or stress might sometimes feel so overwhelming that it negatively affects your life. If you have difficulty alleviating your symptoms or find that high stress levels are affecting your life, it may be beneficial to seek help from a licensed professional. 

How online counseling can help 

A licensed therapist may help you regain control over your emotions and overcome feelings of stress and anxiety; they may explain strategies for how to respond to these feelings and move forward. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been proven effective in treating anxiety. You might consider meeting with an online therapist if you are nervous about seeing a counselor in person.  

A large and growing body of evidence has shown that online therapy can be an effective treatment option for a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety. Additionally, for patients, online therapy for anxiety has the benefit of being more convenient and affordable than in-person therapy. If you're interested in trying it, online platforms such as BetterHelp often offer a vast database of mental health professionals with varying backgrounds.