If youre not regular just yet, you might actually train yourself to poop like clockwork.

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Whether you call it poop, No.

2 or a bowel movement, its about time we got more comfortable talking about it.

As the kids book taught us,Everyone Poops.

We revealed that the normal frequency for poopingranges from twice per day to three times per week.

Far more important than the exact time is a consistent time.

Rhythm is important, Bulsiewicz says.

Our post-meal metabolic response, sleep quality and gut health are all impacted by our bodys natural rhythms.

This may manifest with chronic constipation or irritable bowel syndrome, Bulsiewicz says.

Physical Activity

Get goingand your gut will, too.

Exercise stimulates motility, which can help you have a bowel movement.

When you move, your bowels move, he says.

The reverse is also true: Lack of physical activity can slow gut motility and contribute toconstipation.

Prolonged sitting can also place undue pressure on the rectum.

Over time, this can weaken the muscles involved in pooping, Brown says.

And those muscles need to function well for a full, complete BM.

Traveling

Bulsiewicz recently clued us in about the5 reasons why you could’t poop when traveling.

(Those tarmac delays and long flights are brutal for more than one reason!)

Stress and anxiety impact the gut-brain axis, leading to alterations in bowel habits.

Stress can increase colon contractions, causing diarrheaorreduce gut motility, resulting in constipation, Brown says.

These medical conditions can increase or decrease the frequency with which you poop.

Pregnancy

Carrying a kiddo stacks the deck against regularity.

A growing fetus places pressure on the rectum, potentially hindering bowel movements.

In addition, Pregnancy-related hormonal shifts can reduce gut motility, causing constipation, Brown says.

Increased progesterone levels can relax digestive tract muscles, hindering stool movement through the colon, he explains.

Plus, with age, all of our musclesincluding those in the colon and rectumgenerally weaken.

This can increase risk for constipation.

Additionally, there are many, many people who poop everyday and are still constipated.

If youre not completely emptying, then a small little daily nugget may not be adequate!

Our bodies are naturally primed for bowel movements in the morning.

Adjusting your lifestyle to promote an A.M. poop is possible.

This can help prime and train your body to go in the morning, every morning.

From a scientific perspective, there is no single “correct” frequency for bowel movements, Brown says.

Whats normal can vary from about two times per day to three times per week.

By doing so, you will optimize your digestive health and overall well-being, Brown says.

EatingWell.com, May 2024

Piedmont Healthcare.What Your Stool Says About Your Health.

Hibberd T, Ramsay S, et al.Circadian Rhythms in Colonic Function.Frontiers in Physiology.

2023; 14 (1239278).

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.