Why Your Acid Reflux Might Be More About Emotions Than Pizza

My BodyMy MindMy Spirit
Written By Melanie Joy Stephenson-Laws

(…and what your body’s been trying to tell you all along).

By: Joy Stephenson-Laws, Holistic Coach, J.D., Founder

Raise your hand if you’ve ever blamed spicy food for that burning sensation in your chest. Same. But what if your acid reflux isn’t just about what you’re eating—but also about what you’re feeling (and maybe not expressing)?

Yup, we’re going there.

Let’s break down how your body, your stress, and your not-so-peaceful past could be teaming up to light that fire in your chest—and what you can do to finally cool it down.

1. The Usual Suspect: Stomach Acid (But… Not Really)

We’ve been taught that acid reflux = too much stomach acid. But that’s not the full story. Often, the real problem is that the little muscle that’s supposed to keep acid in your stomach—the lower esophageal sphincter (LES)—isn’t doing its job. This lets acid sneak up into your throat and chest. Ouch.

But why would the LES slack off? Here’s where things get interesting…

2. Your Nervous System Has Something to Say

Meet the vagus nerve—it’s like your body’s peacekeeper. It helps you relax, digest your food, and keep things running smoothly in your belly. But when you’re stressed, anxious, or stuck in fight-or-flight mode (hello, modern life), the vagus nerve can’t do its job well.

Chronic stress—especially the kind you don’t even realize you’re carrying—can mess with your digestion big time. Your body says, “We’re in danger! No time to digest this sandwich!” And so your LES relaxes, your stomach gets slow, and acid takes the opportunity to rise.

3. Inhaled Trauma: It’s Not Just Poetic, It’s Physical

You don’t need a major car crash to experience trauma. Sometimes trauma is subtle—it’s what we “inhale” in stressful homes, toxic relationships, or high-pressure environments.

You may have learned to:

  • Hold your breath in tense moments

  • Speak softly to avoid conflict

  • Swallow your emotions to keep the peace

That’s not just poetic—it’s literal. These habits mess with your diaphragm (your main breathing muscle), keeping it tight and restricted. And guess what sits right below the diaphragm? Yup—your stomach.

Tension in your diaphragm can increase pressure in your gut, loosen the LES, and bring on reflux.

4. Your Gut and Brain Are Besties (and They’re Fighting)

Ever had a “gut feeling”? That’s real. Your gut and your brain are in constant communication, thanks to something called the gut-brain axis.

If you’ve been through long-term emotional stress—especially as a kid—your gut microbiome (the good bugs in your belly) can get out of whack. That throws off digestion, increases inflammation, and can even lead to something called leaky gut, which makes acid reflux worse.

5. Reflux Might Be Emotional Baggage… Rising Up

Let’s get real: Sometimes reflux shows up when we’re trying to “digest” things we were never meant to swallow. Things like:

  • “Just toughen up.”

  • “Don’t cry.”

  • “Don’t rock the boat.”

  • “Stay quiet.”

You swallowed those messages to survive. But your body? It remembers. Reflux could be your body’s way of saying, “Hey, I can’t keep this down anymore.”

As trauma expert Peter Levine puts it:

“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.”

6. So… What Can You Do About It?

The good news: You can absolutely support your body in healing. Here’s how:

a. Breathe (Really Breathe)

Try belly breathing—slow, deep breaths that let your diaphragm relax and your nervous system calm down. Even five minutes a day helps.

b. Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve

Humming, gargling, cold water face splashes, singing—yep, they all activate your vagus nerve and help your gut get back on track.

c. Eat Slowly in a Chill Environment

No eating while scrolling angry news headlines. Light a candle, sit down, chew. Help your body know it’s safe to digest.

d. Move and Stretch

Yoga, walking, or gentle stretches can release the tension that builds in your chest and gut. Think of it as a moving “thank you” to your insides.

e. Talk It Out (Or Write It Out)

Whether it’s journaling, therapy, or just saying something out loud you’ve kept in for years—expression helps digestion. It’s all connected.

f. Take a Nutrient Test

In order to have the healthiest gut microbiome possible and most symbiotic gut-brain relationship it is imperative to maintain nutritional balance. Most of us have nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, but we don’t even know it. A pH Nutrition Test, one of our Advanced Testing methods, will identify certain unique markers to assess your body’s need for antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids and digestive support.

7. Final Bite: Listen to Your Body’s Burn

Sure, pizza might play a role. But for many of us, that chest burn has roots in something much deeper—like old tension, held-back emotions, and stories we’ve never spoken.

You don’t have to choose between medication and mindfulness. You can use both. But the next time acid reflux flares up, ask: Is there something I’m still holding inside?

Sometimes the biggest healing starts when we stop blaming our stomach and start listening to our soul.

Want to read more about the science? Here are some great sources:

Melanie Joy Stephenson-Laws
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