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It happened on vacation.

I was in Vietnam, relaxed in a way I hadn’t been in a long time. I wasn’t rushing, or bracing. And I wasn’t “on.”

So I booked myself a few foot massages because they are my favorite!

My feet ache chronically, and deep pressure has always felt like the only thing that truly releases the tension.

Anyways, it was the last foot massage I got while there that did me in. I never asked for a deep foot massage, but that’s what I got.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved the massage. It was like some sort of mix of heaven and deep pain, but I went with it.

Anyways, after the massage, something curious happened: my stomach started growling loudly. Not hunger — movement. At the time, I barely registered it. If anything, it felt like a sign that my body was relaxing.

That night, everything unraveled.

For three hours, I vomited violently — every hour on the hour.

I felt flu-ish, wiped out, and shocked. No fever, or food poisoning; no obvious cause. Just a sudden, dramatic collapse that seemed completely out of proportion to a foot massage.

At first, I assumed coincidence.

But the more I sat with it — and the more I noticed my body — the clearer it became: this wasn’t random.

What followed was a deep dive into the nervous system, the gut–brain axis, and something that finally connected the dots to something I already know about myself: I don’t produce cortisol, and my DHEA is extremely low.

What I learned reframed not just that night in Vietnam — but my feet, digestion, sleep, and how my body handles relaxation at all.

Your feet and your gut are in constant conversation through your vagus nerve. And when that conversation gets disrupted? Your digestion pays the price.

If This Sounds Like You, You’re Not Alone

As I started talking about this experience, I realized something surprising: a lot of people quietly live in bodies that behave this way, but almost no one explains it to them.

If any of this sounds familiar, this article is for you:

• Your feet ache chronically, especially at the end of the day
• You crave deep pressure because it feels like the only real relief
• You feel worse at night, when resting, or when trying to sleep
• You’ve had strong reactions after massage, acupuncture, or bodywork
• You tend to get sick after stress ends — on vacation, weekends, or holidays
• Your body seems to “crash” when it finally feels safe

For a long time, I thought these things were unrelated quirks. They weren’t.

They were all expressions of the same underlying pattern.

Here’s What Nobody Tells You

Your feet and your gut are in constant conversation through your vagus nerve. And when that conversation gets disrupted? Your digestion pays the price.

[Seriously, this connection opened my eyes bigger than most things in the past year.]

Understanding this isn’t just about foot pain or getting sick on vacation.

It’s about understanding why your bloating gets worse when you’re stressed, why your digestion shuts down when you can’t relax, and why sometimes trying to rest makes everything worse.

Let me show you how this actually works.

When the Feet Hold the Nervous System

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The Vagus Nerve: The Body’s Main Regulator of Safety and Digestion

The vagus nerve is the primary nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system — the branch responsible for rest, digestion, recovery, and repair.

It runs from the brainstem down through the neck and chest, innervating the heart, lungs, stomach, and intestines. Crucially, about 80% of vagal fibers carry information from the body to the brain, not the other way around.

[Basically, your brain is constantly listening to your body, not just telling it what to do.]

This means the brain is constantly listening to signals from the gut, the muscles, and — importantly — the feet to determine whether the body is safe.

What Happens When the Vagus Nerve Activates

When vagal activity increases:

• Heart rate slows
• Blood pressure drops
• Digestion ramps up
• Gut motility increases

This is why parasympathetic activation, that “rest and digest” mode we’re always told to get into, is often felt first in the stomach.

Ever noticed your stomach gurgling when you finally sit down after a stressful day? That’s your vagus nerve saying “okay, we’re safe now, let’s digest.”

So why do the feet matter so much? Turns out, they’re not just for walking.

The feet contain one of the highest concentrations of sensory and proprioceptive nerve endings in the body.

They constantly send feedback to the brain about balance, stability, and orientation in space.

Because of this, the feet are not just structural.

They are neurological grounding organs.

Deep pressure on the feet sends intense sensory signals to the brainstem.

In many people, this input is interpreted as safety, triggering parasympathetic activation via the vagus nerve. That’s why foot massage often feels deeply calming.

But in some bodies, this signal is too strong, too fast.

[That’s where things get interesting, and by interesting, I mean potentially nauseating.]

The Gut Responds First: Why the Stomach Growls During Foot Work

Ever noticed stomach growling or gurgling during a foot massage?

That’s not random. It’s vagal activation in real time.

The vagus nerve directly controls:

• Gastric emptying
• Peristalsis (intestinal movement)
• Digestive secretions
• Nausea and vomiting reflexes.

[Basically, it’s the boss of your gut.]

As parasympathetic tone rises, gut motility increases. This is why borborygmi (stomach sounds) are a classic early sign of vagal engagement.

For many people, this remains mild and pleasant.

For others, it’s the first step in a cascade.

[That was me, but I just didn’t know it.]

What This Is Not

Before we go further, it’s important to say what this experience is not, because it’s often misunderstood.

This was not:

• Food poisoning
• A virus
• Anxiety or panic
• “Detoxing toxins”
• Weakness or hypersensitivity

There was no infection to fight and no psychological trigger to override.

This was a reflexive nervous system response, driven by sensory input, vagal signaling, and a lack of hormonal buffering.

It only felt like the flu because symptoms were overlapping:

• Cytokine release (inflammatory chemicals)
• Blood pressure changes
• Gut motility suddenly increasing
• Nervous system shift

Once I understood that, the experience stopped feeling frightening — and started feeling logical.

The Pattern Has a Name (Even If Nobody Talks About It)

What I experienced sits at the intersection of a few concepts:

• Let-down response: Getting sick when stress ends
• Parasympathetic rebound: A sudden swing into “rest” mode
• Unbuffered autonomic shifts: When stress hormones aren’t there to soften transitions

I also learned that I fit the profile for “autonomic nervous system dysregulation with chronic myofascial holding.” [Quite a mouthful, I know.]

You can learn more about this HERE and HERE.

What does that actually mean?

Your Body’s Survival Strategy

Your body lives slightly stuck in fight-or-flight [which, honestly, many high-achieving women do], you function well there [which is why this went unnoticed for so long], your feet act as a pressure valve for the whole system, and very deep release causes an overcorrection.

So when the pressure finally lets go, your system doesn’t ease down.

It falls off a cliff.

That cliff equals vomiting, chills, flu-like collapse.

Here’s the pattern:

Stress → feet tighten Holding it together → feet ache
Relief → nervous system finally feels safe enough to drop

In a well-buffered system, the nervous system eases from “on” to “off.”

In a system without adequate cortisol or DHEA, that transition can be abrupt.

Instead of relaxation, the body experiences a kind of autonomic free-fall, not because something is wrong, but because the usual shock absorbers aren’t there.

Naming this matters, because without language, people tend to blame themselves.

When Relaxation Becomes Too Much: Parasympathetic Overshoot

The nervous system is designed to shift gradually between states.

Normally, cortisol and DHEA act as buffers, smoothing the transition between sympathetic (“on”) and parasympathetic (“off”) modes.

But when cortisol is absent and DHEA is very low, the nervous system loses shock absorbers.

Transitions become abrupt, and parasympathetic activation can overshoot.

Instead of easing into rest, the body drops suddenly.

This can result in:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Chills
• Sudden fatigue
• Flu-like sensations without infection

These are not psychological reactions. They are reflexive vagal responses.

Why the Body Holds Stress in the Feet When Hormonal Buffering Is Low

Cortisol and DHEA normally help regulate:

• Pain tolerance
• Blood pressure stability
• Inflammatory responses
• Nervous system transitions

When these hormones are deficient, the body compensates mechanically.

Muscles and fascia, especially in the feet, become a form of structural bracing.

The feet provide constant sensory feedback and postural stability, making them an ideal place for the body to “store” tension when chemical regulation is insufficient.

This explains why:

• Feet ache chronically
• Deep pressure feels necessary, not optional
• Relief is craved intensely

The feet become a substitute regulatory system.

Why Deep Release Feels Amazing, Then Backfires

During deep foot work:

• Long-held structural tension is suddenly removed
• Sensory input spikes
• The brain receives a powerful “we are safe” signal
• Parasympathetic tone surges

In a hormonally buffered system, this is moderated.

In a low-cortisol, low-DHEA system:

• There is no brake on the brake
• Blood pressure can drop
• Gut reflexes activate strongly
• Nausea and vomiting can occur hours later

Vomiting, in this context, is not illness.

It’s an emergency nervous system reset.

What Actually Happened (Step by Step)

Seeing this clearly helped everything click for me:

1. My body had been under long-term stress without cortisol to buffer it
2. Structural tension — especially in my feet — became a stabilizing strategy
3. Vacation removed vigilance and external pressure
4. Deep foot work sent a sudden, powerful “you’re safe now” signal
5. Parasympathetic (vagal) activity surged
6. My gut responded first (growling during the massage; movement all around, like there was no stopping any of it)
7. Hours later, without buffering, the system overshot
8. Vomiting became the fastest way for my body to reset

Nothing about this was random.

It was a predictable cascade — I just didn’t know how to read the signs yet.

The Vacation Effect: Why This Often Happens During Time Off

Ever gotten sick right as vacation starts?

[Raise your hand if this has happened to you. Both of mine are up.]

This is known as a let-down response.

When chronic stress finally lifts:

• Stored tension releases
• Sympathetic tone decreases
• Parasympathetic activity rebounds

If this happens suddenly, especially alongside deep bodywork, the nervous system can overshoot into collapse rather than gentle rest.

This is why reactions like nausea, migraines, or flu-like symptoms often appear during periods of safety, not stress.

Nighttime Foot Pain: Why It Gets Worse in Bed

One thing I also notice is that my foot pain would get worse at night.

Like, it feels like my feet cannot touch the bed at all. The sheets feel like sandpaper. The nerve sensations drive me absolutely crazy. I’d find myself lying there at 2am, alternating between wanting to massage my feet and wanting to amputate them.

Sound familiar?

Here’s what’s actually happening.

At night:

• Sympathetic activity naturally declines
• Parasympathetic tone increases
• Postural input disappears

Without cortisol to bridge this transition, the body again seeks stability and returns to the feet.

This results in:

• Tightness
• Aching
• Restlessness
• A strong urge for pressure

The feet tighten not because they need release, but because the nervous system needs containment.

Nighttime Foot Pain Isn’t a Problem, It’s a Signal

For a long time, I treated nighttime foot pain like something I needed to fix.

But once I understood the nervous system piece, I saw it differently.

At night, the body naturally moves toward parasympathetic dominance. Postural input disappears. External structure goes away.

Without cortisol to bridge that transition, the nervous system looks for containment, and often finds it in the feet.

So the tightening, aching, and restlessness aren’t signs of damage.

They’re signs that the nervous system is asking:

“What’s holding me now?”

This is why aggressive stretching or deep release at night often makes things worse.

The body isn’t asking to be loosened.

It’s asking to be supported.

How to Work With This Pattern (Instead of Fighting It)

Once I stopped trying to “fix” my feet and started supporting my nervous system, things changed.

Here are the principles that actually help bodies like mine:

What tends to make things worse

• Aggressive stretching
• Hard massage tools [looking at you, lacrosse balls – OMG, I just remembered this video I made – dots connect, dots connect]
• Deep release late in the day
• Forcing relaxation [the irony, right?]
• Trying to “push through” discomfort

What actually helps

Warmth:

• Thick wool socks (I love Bombas or Smartwool)
• Heating pad on low
• Warm foot bath before bed

Gentle Compression or Containment:

• Compression socks (not tight, just supportive)
• Weighted blanket over the feet
• Tucking feet firmly under pillows [alternatively, elevating my feet with a short pillow]

Predictable, Symmetrical Touch:

• Both feet at the same time
• Consistent pressure, not varying
• Gentle holds rather than deep digging

Timing Matters:

• Bodywork earlier in the day (before 2pm if possible)
• Avoid deep work right before bed
• Give your system time to integrate

Breathing Techniques:

• Slow exhales longer than inhales
• 4-count in, 6-count out
• Do this lying down with feet elevated

The goal isn’t maximal relaxation.

The goal is nervous system safety.

When I was in Vietnam, and especially the day of that massage, this did not occur. There was nothing gentle about that foot massage.

Is This You? A Quick Self-Assessment

Not sure if this pattern applies to you?

Ask yourself:

1. Do you feel worse after “relaxing” activities (massage, vacation, time off)?
2. Do your feet hurt more at night than during the day?
3. Does deep pressure feel necessary, not just nice?
4. Do you tend to “hold it together” until you can finally let go?
5. Do you have low cortisol, adrenal issues, or hormone imbalances?
6. Does your digestion get worse when you try to rest?
7. Have you ever gotten sick immediately after a stressful period ended?

If you answered yes to 3 or more, this pattern might be relevant for you.

Common Questions I Get Asked

“Can this pattern change?”

Yes and no. If the underlying hormone issue (low cortisol/DHEA) improves, you’ll have more buffering.

But even without hormone changes, you can learn to work with your nervous system differently.

I still have the same hormone levels, but I won’t have strong reactions anymore because I understand how to modulate the input.

“Do I have to avoid foot massages forever?”

No! [I mean, I definitely am not.]

You just need to:

• Choose gentle or moderate pressure
• Time them strategically
• Prepare and plan for integration time afterward
• Communicate with your therapist

“How do I explain this to a massage therapist?”

Moving forward, I will now say exactly this:

I have a sensitive nervous system that can overreact to deep pressure. I do best with steady, gentle-to-moderate pressure, and I prefer holds over deep tissue work. My feet especially need a lighter touch.

Most good therapists totally get it.

What to Do Right Now (If Your Feet Are Hurting Tonight)

Reading this at 2am with achy feet?

Here’s your emergency protocol:

1. Warmth first: Put on the thickest socks you own. Add a heating pad if you have one.
2. Containment: Tuck your feet under a pillow, or put a weighted blanket over them.
3. Breathe: 4 counts in, 6 counts out. Do this for 5 minutes.
4. Don’t stretch: I know you want to. Don’t. Your nervous system needs containment, not release.
5. Support, don’t fix: Think “I’m holding my nervous system safe” not “I need to make this pain go away.”

How This Connects to the Gut-Skin-Hormone Framework

If you’ve followed my work, you know I talk a lot about the gut-skin-hormone connection.

This is that same principle, just with a different player: the nervous system.

Think of it as:

Gut ← Nervous System → Hormones

They’re all in conversation.

When your nervous system is dysregulated:

• Your gut can’t digest properly (vagal tone affects motility)
• Your hormones can’t buffer transitions (cortisol/DHEA)
• Your skin can’t repair (stress response affects barrier function)

This is why addressing just gut health, or just hormones, or just nervous system regulation often isn’t enough.

You need to see the whole picture.

The Vietnam Massage Makes Sense Now

Looking back, every piece was in place for that reaction:

• Months of high stress before the trip
• No cortisol production to buffer
• Finally feeling safe enough to let go
• Deep, intense foot work
• Late in the day
• No preparation or integration time

Of course my body overshot.

It was like taking the emergency brake off a car that had been barely holding on a cliff.

The massage didn’t make me sick.

It revealed a pattern that had been there all along.

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A Quick Note on Medical Context

This article isn’t medical advice.

It’s a physiological framework, one that helps explain patterns many people experience but rarely hear described in one place.

If you live with adrenal insufficiency, low cortisol, or chronically low DHEA, understanding how your nervous system compensates can be empowering and can help you work with your body instead of against it.

If you suspect you have hormone imbalances or autonomic nervous system issues, work with a qualified practitioner who understands this stuff. [Functional medicine docs, naturopaths, and integrative practitioners are often more familiar with these patterns than conventional medicine.]

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The Big Picture: One Integrated System

This is not a foot problem.

It’s not a gut problem.

And it’s not “just the vagus nerve.”

It’s a whole-body regulatory pattern:

Low cortisol and DHEA reduce buffering → The nervous system relies on structure → Feet hold tension → Deep release sends powerful safety signals → Parasympathetic activity overshoots → The gut responds first

Seen this way, the symptoms stop being mysterious and start being coherent.

What I Want You to Take Away From This

Here’s what I learned.

My body was not overreacting. It was simply adapting intelligently to the tools it has.

The massage in Vietnam didn’t make me sick.

My body finally felt safe enough to let go. It just did it too fast.

When we understand how touch, hormones, nerves, and digestion work together, the solution isn’t avoidance.

It’s modulation.

Sometimes the most regulated state isn’t “fully relaxed.”

Sometimes it’s gently, safely held.

Your Next Steps

If this article resonated with you:

1. Save it. You’ll want to come back to this. [Click HERE to save.]
2. Try the “what to do right now” protocol next time your feet hurt at night.
3. Rethink your next massage. Use the guidelines in the “How I Approach Bodywork Now” section.
4. Share this with someone who gets it. Sometimes just knowing someone else experiences this makes all the difference.
5. Explore related topics:
   • The 4 Stages of Adrenal Fatigue
   • Adrenal Cortisol Support
   • HPA Axis Dysfunction

And if you want to go deeper into how your gut, hormones, and nervous system all work together + explore my personal adrenal fatigue journey? That’s exactly what I put together HERE.

Because here’s the truth: understanding your body shouldn’t be this hard.

But when you finally get it? Everything changes. At least it is for me.

Xox,

SKH

Sources: HERE and HERE