How Do You Cure Bloating Fast?

What causes a bloated stomach?

Does bloating have you reaching for sweatpants by noon or curling up on the couch just to find some relief?

You’re not alone.

I know firsthand how frustrating and uncomfortable it can be—there were so many days when I’d lay down on my stomach with a pillow pressed under me, desperate to ease the discomfort.

If that’s where you’re at, I’ve got good news: Relief is closer than you think.

But before we dive into the solutions, let’s tackle an important question:

What Causes a Bloated Stomach?

Bloating happens when your digestive system is out of balance, and there are several possible culprits:

🔷 Trapped Gas: Eating too quickly, swallowing air, or consuming gas-producing foods (like beans, broccoli, or carbonated drinks) can lead to uncomfortable bloating.

🔷 Food Sensitivities: Undiagnosed sensitivities to common foods like gluten, dairy, or high-FODMAP fruits and veggies can trigger inflammation and bloating.

🔷 Imbalanced Gut Bacteria: When the bacteria in your gut are out of balance (a condition called dysbiosis), it can lead to excess fermentation of food, producing gas and discomfort.

🔷 Slow Digestion: If your gut motility (the movement of food through your digestive tract) is sluggish, food can sit in your stomach and intestines longer than it should, causing bloating.

🔷 Stress and Anxiety: Believe it or not, stress can mess with your digestion in a big way. When your body is in fight-or-flight mode, it deprioritizes digestion, which can lead to bloating and other gut issues.

🔷 Hormonal Changes: For women, hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle can cause water retention and bloating.

These are just a few common causes—and if any of these resonate with you, know that you’re not alone.

Understanding why your stomach feels bloated is the first step to finding the relief you deserve.

Now, let’s talk about how to fix it when it happens.

Here’s How to Find Relief When Bloating Strikes

1. Try an Abdominal Self-Massage

🔷 Lie on your back and use your fingertips to make small, circular motions starting at your right hip.

🔷 Move upward toward your ribs, across your abdomen, and down toward your left hip—basically tracing the path of your large intestine.

🔷 Repeat this for 5-10 minutes, applying light to medium pressure.

➡️ Why It Works: This gentle massage stimulates gut motility, helping to move trapped air and food through your digestive tract so you feel better faster.

2. Activate Your Vagus Nerve with Breathing Techniques

🔷 Try diaphragmatic breathing: Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of 4, letting your belly fully expand.

🔷 Hold your breath for 4 seconds, then exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 6.

🔷 Repeat for 5-10 minutes.

➡️ Why It Works: This type of deep breathing calms the vagus nerve, which plays a huge role in digestion. It helps reduce stress and improves gut motility—a double win!

3. Sip on a Gut-Soothing Tea

Here’s a quick tea recipe that works wonders:

🌟 Ingredients:

➨ 1 tsp fennel seeds

➨ 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

➨ 1 chamomile tea bag (or 1 tsp dried chamomile flowers)

➨ 2 cups hot water

🌟 Steps: Combine everything, steep for 10 minutes, and sip slowly.

➡️ Why It Works: Fennel reduces gas, ginger calms inflammation, and chamomile relaxes digestive muscles for fast relief.

Bonus Quick Relief Tips

🔷 Stay Hydrated: Sip water throughout the day, but avoid guzzling large amounts during meals—it can dilute stomach acid and slow digestion.

🔷 Gentle Movement: A 10-minute walk or light stretching can help release trapped gas and keep things moving.

The next time bloating rears its ugly head, give one (or all!) of these a try.

Not only can they help ease discomfort quickly, but they also support your gut health in the long run.

And if you’ve tried everything for bloating and feel like nothing really works, I’ve been there too.

The good news? It’s possible to figure out exactly what’s triggering your symptoms and feel like yourself again.

Want to learn more about bloating and root causes? Click here to listen to my podcast episode 29 (on Spotify or YouTube) on “Why am I so bloated all the time?”

Let’s get you back to feeling confident, comfortable, and free to enjoy your life—no sweatpants or pillows required.