How to manage IBS in 20 minutes or less.

New year but same old IBS? It’s that time of year when we’re encouraged to focus on everything new and shiny. But what if our gut has got us feeling old and lacklustre? Suffering from a chronic health condition, such as IBS, can often make the idea of setting future hopes, goals and plans seem beyond our grasp. When experience says that more of the same is on the horizon it’s hard to expect the best whilst fearing the worst.

Ad: This post is sponsored by Nerva, my go-to hypnotherapy app for IBS, but all words are my own.

Jump to:

• Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy
• Engage your senses
• Focused micro-actions
• Comments

Right now mainstream media is full of quizzes, to-do lists and checkboxes to make this your best year yet. The main issue, amongst many, with these well-meaning ideas and interventions, is that they’re based on the version of you that’s willing and able to take drastic action. But what about the you that barely struggles to make it through the day? Doesn’t that version of you deserve to feel better too?

Whilst treating IBS requires a multi-disciplinary approach which may include;

• Dietary changes
• Lifestyle factors
• Medication
• Pain management
• Stress management
• Therapy or counselling

We don’t all have the resources to dedicate to any or all of these. Including them as part of our long-term IBS management plan can be a challenge. 

People with IBS are more likely than the general population to suffer from physical and psychological comorbidities. These can include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, panic disorders, sleep disturbance, hypervigilance and catastrophic thinking to name a few. This severely impacts our ability to predict how willing and able we feel at any given time. The time, energy, attention and effort that we have to devote to treating our condition(s) can fluctuate widely. This can happen not only day to day but often on a minute by minute basis.

So with all this in mind are there ways to effectively tackle our IBS in short, manageable and accessible bursts? Here are my top 3 ways to manage your IBS in 20 minutes or less. Many of which can be done from the comfort of your own home in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy

After decades of suffering from IBS symptoms, I thought I’d seen and tried it all. But it’s only in the past year that I’ve learned to take the emphasis off food and work on improving my gut/brain connection. The main way I've been able to do this is through the use of gut-directed hypnotherapy. You can check out my detailed reviews of how well gut-directed hypnotherapy worked for me here.

The gut/brain axis

If you’re not familiar with the gut/brain axis and how it influences you then you might be wondering what hypnotherapy has to do with your IBS. On a basic level, our gut and brain are in constant communication with each other. This happens physically via the nervous system and chemically when complex neurotransmitters such as serotonin are released. 

It’s common knowledge that our brain has the power to influence our gut (think butterflies in your tummy when you’re nervous). However, it’s not as well known that what’s happening in our guts can have a significant impact on our brain, mood and behaviour.

How gut-directed hypnotherapy works

The purpose of gut-directed hypnotherapy is to balance this two-way communication. This creates synergy between how the brain regulates the gut and vice versa. This is done by guiding you into a heightened state of awareness. 

In this state of hypnosis, you’re more open to positive suggestions. Through repetition of these specific suggestions, the brain begins to make new connections. This in turn can create improvements to help break the stress response cycle. 

Gut-directed hypnotherapy incorporates techniques such as visualisation, guided imagery, deep breathing and relaxation. This can help you to recognise the patterns that influence the intrinsic link between your gut and brain. Once we acknowledge these patterns it becomes easier to work towards rewiring the thoughts, sensations, behaviours and habits that lead to flare-ups and symptoms.  

Exactly how hypnotherapy works is not fully understood but it may help to improve symptoms by:

• reducing the signals of pain in receptors in the gut
• relaxing the intestine
• suppressing sensory overstimulation
• decreasing the power that anxiety has to influence our perception of pain and physical responses to stress
• promoting overall relaxation and stress management techniques

The easiest way to access gut-directed hypnotherapy

This type of therapy can be accessed through one to one sessions, either in person or virtually, with a trained hypnotherapist. You’ll typically need a 90-minute initial consultation followed by a series of 6-10 weekly sessions.

Despite evidence to suggest it’s an effective treatment for IBS, it’s currently unlikely that you’ll be referred for hypnotherapy for your IBS under the NHS. This has previously meant that access is limited to those able to afford private treatment.

More recently it’s been made widely available, at a much more affordable price, through apps such as Nerva. If you’ve been here before then you’ll know that Nerva is how I’ve been tackling my IBS this past year. 

The Nerva app delivers a full 6-week hypnotherapy program to your smartphone in 20 minute daily sessions. Through guided audios and breathing exercises you’ll experience the feeling of bringing your sympathetic nervous system into balance and the noticeable impact this has on your symptoms. For those that like to take a more cerebral approach to treatment then the bite-sized lessons break down the science of IBS and the gut/brain connection into easy to understand concepts.

Using a service such as Nerva makes gut-directed hypnotherapy an incredibly passive and convenient way to get the help you need in a way that works for you. You can complete a session before even getting out of bed in the morning. I can’t think of many other ways to actively work on improving your IBS without your head leaving the pillow.

If gut-directed hypnotherapy via the Nerva app sounds right for you then this affiliate link automatically activates your free trial and applies a 10% discount to the full price of the program.

Engage your senses

You may be familiar with the awareness meditation that is often used to calm a panic attack. This technique can be used soon as you begin to feel unsettled, uncomfortable or out of sorts. Bringing your attention to 3 things you can see, hear, feel and smell in your immediate environment can help ground you. This works to offer a feeling of stability before overwhelm takes over.

In terms of using this to treat IBS, we can take it a step further. If you know that your symptoms are worse at a particular time, say after eating or before work, you can plan ahead. Engaging and focusing your senses in ways that can soothe a potential flare-up. Simple tools and actions you can take include:

Smell 

Breathe in an uplifting essential oil. This can be sniffed straight from the bottle, diluted in a carrier oil and dabbed onto the wrists and tummy or diffused around the room in an essential oil burner. Some oils which are specifically beneficial for the symptoms of IBS include:

• Peppermint
• Ginger
• Citrus
• Fennel
• Rosemary
• Oregano
• Lavender 

These can help to ease nausea and headaches, soothe a tummy ache, relieve wind, stimulate the taste buds and digestive system ready to receive food and calm an overactive nervous system.

If essential oils are too overpowering for you then consider keeping a pot of herbs on your windowsill. You can lightly brush over the tops to release a more subtle scent. 

Taste

Our sense of taste is intrinsically linked with our smell. You can further enhance the benefits of aromatherapy when you eat or drink those same aromas. A soothing hot cup of mint tea or adding digestive herbs and spices to a simple meal can work wonders.

You don’t have to spend hours cooking from scratch to be able to incorporate these active ingredients. If you’re relying on ready meals or pre-made sauces then a handful of zingy fresh herbs or crushed, dried spices stirred through before eating will help give your appetite and taste buds a boost. 

Touch

Soothing self-massage can be done before you even get out of bed in the morning. Working gently in a clockwise motion from the right side of your pelvis up towards your right ribs, across the ribcage. Then travel down to the left side of the pelvis, releasing the pressure beneath the belly button before beginning again. This motion roughly follows the direction of the digestive system and can help stimulate a sluggish bowel and soothe stomach pain. Combining this movement with a massage blend that includes the essential oils above is particularly effective. I filmed a detailed self-massage session if you’d like to go more in-depth.

If you’re not up for a massage then simply placing your hands on your stomach is a familiar, comforting gesture. Most of us have instinctively been doing since childhood. Applying a hot water bottle, heat pack or warm compress over a bloated, painful tummy can also be extremely soothing. 

Sound

From music therapy to guided meditation, there’s growing evidence to suggest that hearing or creating certain sounds can impact our physical and mental wellbeing in positive ways.

Finding your groove is the most important step to making this work for you. Whether you’re a whispered ASMR or a banging tunes type the sounds most likely to work for you are the ones you enjoy. Seek out the music or sounds that relax you, transport you to a happy time or place and leave you feeling energised or uplifted.

Some suggestions for using sound to improve mood and relieve pain and discomfort include:

• Listening to guided meditations, gut-directed hypnotherapy and gentle nature sounds for relaxation. 
• Find a podcast, audiobook, ASMR artist or TED talk that you find positive and engaging.
• Dance, sway, clap or sing your way through a favourite song (or album if you have the energy). This can be such a simple way to distract yourself into a feel-good moment.
• Focus on the sound and feel of your breath. Try to deepen the length of each breath to 4 then 6 seconds. Incorporate pauses of equal length before and after every inhale and exhale.
• Try practising a musical instrument, singing in the shower, chanting a mantra, humming or whistling a tune and talking or reading out loud, even when you’re on your own. All of these require you to subconsciously follow a rhythm and take control of your breathing so that you’re not tensing or holding your breath.
• Talking to an understanding therapist, medical professional, relative or friend. Vocalising and sharing your fears can often reduce their power and help you to see things from a clearer perspective.   

Sight

Whilst sight is not typically known for being one of the first senses we rely on to make ourselves feel better during a flare-up, activating your inner sight through visualisation can be a powerful healing tool. 

It may sound a bit woo-woo, but something as simple as seeing yourself performing a positive action or completing a basic chore step by step can temporarily distract you from negative thinking. In turn, this may help to ease feelings of overwhelm or anxiety and encourage you to begin a daily task or tackle an item on your to-do list.

To go a bit deeper with this idea try sitting quietly for 5 minutes at a time. Picture how you would like your ideal day to go. See yourself getting through a day of work or a social event without any disruption, discomfort or flare-ups. Gradually work up to longer, more elaborate and stress-relieving scenarios. Visuals such as seeing yourself relaxing on a tropical beach or walking quietly through a lush pine forest.

Whilst flexing your visualisation muscle takes practice, if you’re prepared to try it for a few minutes each day you’ll soon be able to transport yourself away and calm your mind at will. I discovered that the guided visualisations in the Nerva app make this much easier than going it alone. 

Focused micro-actions

Taking drastic measures isn’t always possible (or helpful) for us in the treatment of IBS. However, focusing on intentional micro-actions towards a bigger goal can help build momentum. Even on days when you don’t have 20 minutes of energy or focus to give. Just a few focused minutes of working on a task can make a difference.

If it helps to motivate you to get started then set a timer. Once it goes off stop whatever you’re doing to signal a definitive end. Start with a few minutes at a time and gradually work up to 20 if you’re able to do so.

Movement

Movement doesn’t have to be running 5k (shudder) although it absolutely can be if that works for you. Moving our bodies in a way that supports our wellbeing and helps us to feel good, rather than as a punishment or way of earning calories, is so beneficial to overall health.

One of the main things to keep in mind about movement is that it doesn’t need to look a particular way for it to be effective. The way our bodies move, work and function are unique. My yoga poses are not Instagram-worthy by aesthetic standards but they certainly get the job done when I’m feeling crappy.

As long as you’re using a safe technique that limits excess strain or the possibility of injury, then you’re on the right track.

• Stretching - This doesn’t have to include full-body movement. Isolated exercises such as squeezing stress balls, using resistance bands or spreading and grounding your toes into the floor can all be beneficial. Stretching can be adapted to suit your body and can often be done from a seated or supported position. 
• Yoga - As with stretching, yoga poses can often be modified. Use aids such as bolsters, blocks and straps to help. Legs up the wall, cat-cow and happy baby are my favourite low-impact yoga moves. Yoga Nidra actively encourages the use of comfortable supports to aid deep release. If you’re not up for a full-body session then try facial yoga instead.
• Stability ball - These can be used with or without a safety base. Just sitting or gently bouncing on one of these can help build stamina, improve core strength and retrain balance.
• Walking - Whilst a walk in nature is one of my preferred go-to treatments it’s not always possible. If it’s available to you then a walk around the block, the garden, to the shops, up and down the stairs, on a treadmill or even around the living room works too. 
• Gardening - Being out in nature is therapy in itself. I have a small garden that backs onto a railway line but it’s still one of my favourite places to potter. Gardening doesn’t have to be back-breaking work. Something as simple as sowing seeds on your windowsill, watering your indoor plants or sprouting lentils in your kitchen can be so rewarding and get you up and about. If you can be more active then try 20 minutes of weeding, pruning, planting or even sweeping leaves. Without even realising you’ll be bending, stretching, squatting and moving your body whilst you work. Don’t let not having a garden stop you. Alternatives include container gardening on a balcony or window box, helping a neighbour, renting a plot, volunteering and even guerrilla gardening!

Self-care

Self-care should be a priority whenever possible. Although it’s regularly represented in social media these days as being all about candles, green juice and Lululemon it’s often so much more fundamental than that.

Even at times when the level of self-care may fluctuate, any small act of putting ourselves first is better than none.

Although it may not seem to be directly linked to managing IBS, how we treat ourselves the majority of the time, often when no one's watching, has a huge impact on our physical and mental wellbeing.

Personal care might look like: 

• Washing, showering or bathing
• Hair washing, brushing or styling
• Dental hygiene
• Skincare routine
• Healthy elimination habits. Avoid straining and improve posture with a raised footstool
• Laundry. Clean clothes. Clean bedding
• Tidying and organising
• Housework and cleaning

Health care might be:

• Hydrating with water and herbal tea
• Getting the right amount of rest and sleep for our needs
• Shopping for groceries
• Preparing a meal or snack, for now or later
• Avoiding skipping meals or unnecessary restrictions
• Eating regularly
• Exercise and movement
• Taking medication
• Asking for help when needed
• Making a doctors appointment
• Visiting a doctor or health professional
• Researching your condition and treatment options via reliable, accredited sources
• Educating and empowering yourself to learn about the latest research, developments and treatments. Some of my choices include this free online course by the FODMAP institute on IBS management with the low FODMAP diet and this free in-depth course on exploring your microbiome created for the American gut project study. 

Wellbeing care may include:

• Reading or playing games for pleasure
• Writing in a journal or symptoms diary
• Investing time in a creative hobby you enjoy such as art, crafting and knitting
• Spending time sitting, walking or swimming in nature
• Focused meditation and deep breathing
• Swapping, donating, selling or binning clothes that don’t fit your body
• Grooming or stroking a pet
• Watering the plants
• Checking in with yourself. Tuning into how you feel and what you need.
• Connecting with family and friends, either virtually or in-person
• Reaching out to a support group of like-minded people. This can include groups based on religion, mutual illness and life stages

As you can see, there’s a lot of crossover between these possible options for tackling your IBS. It’s not a coincidence that we see the same suggestions come up time and again. These small habit and lifestyle changes can help to make a huge difference, without a dietary restriction in sight.

I’ve used all of these at some point and I’m happy to chat with you about my experiences and hear what works for you in the comments below. Based on my experience I’m chuffed to be able to continue to offer a 10% discount code for Nerva to my readers.

Sponsored Post Declaration

Ad: This post is sponsored by Nerva. Qualifying purchases made through my affiliate links may result in me receiving financial compensation. I appreciate your choosing to purchase through my links and support the work that I do in this way.

Sincerest thanks to the team at Nerva for allowing me to share my honest thoughts without attempting to interfere with the content.

Reviews are based on my experience of the Nerva app in Sept 2020 and its updated version in September 2021. The program, sessions, app structure and pricing are subject to change at any time without notice and may not be as described here. Please see the official Nerva website for the most up-to-date information and pricing.