For those of us with stomach problems, each morning can feel like rolling the dice when you step into the bathroom for the first time. Will your body behave “normally” or will you spend the rest of the day in and out of the bathroom and just plain uncomfortable?
“The colon naturally has increased motility — movement via muscle contractions — in the morning,” Dr. Ekta Gupta, an associate professor of medicine in the department of gastroenterology and hepatology at Johns Hopkins University, told Today.com.
Most of us would love to wake up each morning and have a normal bowel movement, but that is not always the case. There are some quick fixes you can make in your morning routine to have better luck in the restroom.
Drink warm liquids
We have all felt the instant need to use the bathroom after drinking a cup of coffee in the morning, and that feeling is no accident.
According to Dr. Gupta, drinking warm liquids in the morning can help to “further enhance that colon motility in the morning.”
Any warm liquid will aid in that process, whether it’s a cup of coffee, hot tea or warm water with lemon.
Be careful with caffeinated beverages, though, Dr. Felice Schnoll-Sussman, a gastroenterologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, tells Today.com. They can sometimes have a laxative-like or diarrhea inducing effect.
Have a fiber-rich breakfast
Outside of being the most important meal of the day, your choice for breakfast can also make a huge impact on your gut health.
Eating a breakfast packed with fiber such as steel-cut oatmeal, Greek yogurt or whole-grain granola can give you a head start on your fiber goals for the day and help you do the number two.
Engage in physical activity
According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, daily physical activity can be a huge aid in making one’s bowel habits more regular.
Whether it’s walking, playing a sport or doing a few yoga poses, moderate physical activity in the morning can be instrumental in easing constipation.
Dr. Schnoll-Sussman recommended the “wind-removing” yoga pose to those struggling with constipation, during which you lie on your back and bring one knee to your chest at a time. After that you bring both knees to your chest together and pull.
According to Dr. Schnoll-Sussman, this pose helps to “motivate the gas and the bowel movements to move along from the cecum (the top of the colon) to the rectum.”
Don’t spend too much time on the toilet
On some mornings, it may feel right to sit on the toilet for as long as it takes until your constipation subsides, but Dr. Gupta warns that this can have adverse effects.
According to Dr. Gupta, sitting and straining on the toilet for that long can lead to hemorrhoids. The Cleveland Clinic says it should take a maximum of five minutes to poop, so any time more than that is wasting your time and possibly, hurting you.
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