Most upset stomachs resolve on their own within a few hours to a day, but the right combination of fluids, gentle foods, and simple comfort measures can speed things along and keep you from feeling miserable in the meantime. What works best depends on whether you’re dealing with nausea, cramping, bloating, or diarrhea, so here’s a practical breakdown of your options.
Start With Fluids, Not Food
The single most important thing you can do for an upset stomach is stay hydrated, especially if vomiting or diarrhea is involved. Plain water works, but it doesn’t replace the sodium and potassium your body loses. That’s why oral rehydration solutions exist. The formula promoted by the World Health Organization contains a specific balance of sodium and glucose designed to help your intestines absorb water more efficiently than plain water alone. You don’t need to buy a specialty product; store-bought electrolyte drinks, diluted broth, or even coconut water all help restore what you’re losing.
Take small, frequent sips rather than gulping large amounts. A stomach that’s already irritated is more likely to reject a sudden flood of liquid. If you’re vomiting, wait 15 to 30 minutes after the last episode before trying a few sips again. Ice chips can be easier to tolerate than liquid when nausea is at its worst.
Avoid alcohol, coffee, and carbonated drinks. Caffeine stimulates acid production, alcohol irritates the stomach lining, and carbonation can increase bloating and gas. If plain water tastes unappealing, room-temperature water with a squeeze of lemon is a gentle alternative.
Ginger for Nausea
Ginger is one of the most studied natural remedies for nausea and stomach discomfort. Its active compounds work on receptors in the gut and brain that trigger the sensation of nausea. Clinical trials have used doses ranging from 250 mg to 1 g per day, split into three or four smaller doses throughout the day. Notably, higher doses (around 2 g) didn’t perform any better than 1 g, so more isn’t necessarily more effective.
The easiest ways to get ginger are ginger tea (made from fresh slices steeped in hot water), ginger chews, or ginger capsules from a pharmacy. Ginger ale is a popular choice but often contains very little actual ginger and a lot of sugar and carbonation, which can make things worse. If you’re using fresh ginger root, a thumb-sized piece steeped for 10 minutes makes a strong tea.
Peppermint for Cramping and Bloating
Peppermint’s main component, menthol, relaxes the smooth muscle in your digestive tract. This makes it particularly useful when your upset stomach involves cramping, spasms, or that tight, bloated feeling. Peppermint tea is the simplest option and is generally well tolerated.
Peppermint oil capsules are also widely available. However, a randomized trial published in Gastroenterology found that peppermint oil capsules did not significantly reduce abdominal pain based on strict clinical endpoints in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. That doesn’t mean peppermint is useless for occasional stomach discomfort, but it’s worth knowing the evidence is stronger for mild, temporary symptoms than for chronic conditions. If you have acid reflux, skip peppermint entirely. That same muscle-relaxing effect can loosen the valve between your stomach and esophagus, making heartburn worse.
What to Eat (and What to Skip)
You may have heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It was the standard recommendation for decades, but medical guidelines no longer endorse it as a strict protocol. The American Academy of Pediatrics says it’s too restrictive for children and may actually slow recovery by depriving the gut of the protein, fiber, calcium, and B12 it needs to heal. For adults, eating only BRAT foods for a day at your sickest is fine, but sticking with it longer than that does more harm than good.
A better approach is to eat bland, easy-to-digest foods when you feel ready, then gradually reintroduce a normal diet. Good choices include plain crackers, broth-based soups, boiled potatoes, steamed chicken, and oatmeal. Avoid fried, spicy, or high-fat foods until your stomach settles. Dairy can be harder to digest during a stomach illness because temporary changes in your gut lining may reduce your ability to break down lactose. Large meals are also harder on a recovering stomach, so eat smaller portions more frequently.
Don’t force yourself to eat if you’re still actively nauseous. Your body can handle 12 to 24 hours without food as long as you’re keeping fluids down. Pushing food too early often triggers another round of vomiting.
Heat Therapy for Stomach Pain
A heating pad or hot water bottle placed on your abdomen is one of the simplest and most effective ways to ease stomach pain. Research from University College London explains why: when heat above 40°C (104°F) is applied to the skin near the site of internal pain, it activates heat receptors called TRPV1. These receptors block the chemical signals that pain receptors use to communicate with your brain, essentially overriding the pain signal at its source.
This works especially well for cramping pain, which is caused by temporary reductions in blood flow to organs like the bowel or by over-distension of the intestinal walls. Wrap your heating pad in a towel to prevent burns and apply it for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. A warm (not hot) bath can provide similar relief for your whole abdomen.
Over-the-Counter Options
Antacids neutralize stomach acid and can bring quick relief if your upset stomach involves heartburn or acid-related discomfort. They work within minutes but wear off relatively quickly.
Bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) coats the stomach lining and can help with nausea, indigestion, and diarrhea. It’s one of the more versatile options for a general upset stomach. Avoid it if you’re allergic to aspirin, as the two are chemically related.
Anti-diarrheal medications slow gut motility and can help if frequent loose stools are your main symptom. However, if you suspect food poisoning or a stomach virus, letting diarrhea run its course (while staying hydrated) is sometimes preferable, since your body is trying to flush out the offending bacteria or virus.
When an Upset Stomach Needs Attention
Most stomach issues are caused by something you ate, a mild virus, or stress, and they pass within 24 to 48 hours. Certain symptoms, however, signal something more serious. Sudden, severe abdominal pain that comes on rapidly can indicate a condition requiring urgent treatment. Other warning signs include blood in your vomit or stool, a visibly swollen or distended abdomen, fever above 101.3°F (38.5°C) alongside stomach pain, signs of dehydration like dizziness or dark urine, and inability to keep any fluids down for more than 12 hours.
Rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, sweating, and confusion are signs of shock and require emergency care. Pain that gets dramatically worse when you lightly touch or press on your abdomen can indicate inflammation of the abdominal lining, which is also a medical emergency.