What physical symptoms may stress contribute to in the gastrointestinal system?

Stress has a significant impact on the gastrointestinal system, and it can contribute to symptoms such as diarrhea and constipation. When a person experiences stress, the body undergoes a series of physiological changes that can lead to disruptions in digestion and normal bowel function.

Specifically, stress can trigger the "fight or flight" response, which can alter gut motility. For some individuals, this results in increased bowel activity, leading to diarrhea, as the body may rush to eliminate contents as a reaction to stress. Conversely, for others, stress can slow down digestion, resulting in constipation. This variation in response highlights how stress can manifest physically in the gastrointestinal tract, reflecting both hyperactivity and hypoactivity of the digestive system.

In contrast, while fatigue and sleep disturbances are indeed common symptoms of stress, they do not specifically relate to the gastrointestinal system. Similarly, increased heart rate and muscle tension are physiological responses to stress but are not directly associated with gastrointestinal symptoms. Thus, the choice that specifically identifies symptoms that connect stress to the gastrointestinal system is the correct one.